WES HUMBLE

Nic. At Night John 3: 1-16

Among the many dumb things people have sent around on the internet is the following, How many Christians does it take to change a light bulb?

Pentecostal: Ten – One to change the bulb & nine to pray against the spirit of darkness
Presbyterians: None – The lights will go off & on at predestined times
Roman Catholics: None – Candles only
Baptists: At least 15 – One to change the bulb and three committees to approve the change & decide who brings the potato salad & fried chicken.
Episcopalians: Three – One to call the electrician, one to mix the drinks and one to talk about how much better the old one was
Methodists: Undetermined – Whether your light is bright, dull, or completely out, you are loved. You can be a light bulb, turnip bulb, or tulip bulb. Church wide lighting service is planned for Sunday. Bring bulb of your choice and a covered dish
Lutherans: None – Lutherans don’t believe in change
Amish: What’s a light bulb?

Nazarenes didn’t make this list but I can tell you that I have heard that in most Nazarene churches it takes about 30. One to change the bulb and 29 to stand around complaining about how badly they are going to miss the old bulb.

Our heritage as a church in Methodism and I think our church fits that profile a little more closely. Methodists: Undetermined – Whether your light is bright, dull, or completely out, you are loved. You can be a light bulb, turnip bulb, or tulip bulb. Church wide lighting service is planned for Sunday. Bring bulb of your choice and a covered dish. We are an accepting church. We practice the art and grace of saying to anyone, “Come as you are!”

It is a great thing to be a part of a church that practices grace but it also means that we have to be very intentional about teaching people what it means to be a Christ follower. Come as you are is a great way to come to Christ but we all need to understand that Christianity is more than just coming to Christ. It is following Him and becoming more like Him.

Nicodemus was a religious man who paid very close attention to the religious laws of his day. He was a moral man. He had a good reputation. When confronted by the message of Jesus Christ he realized that all his religious efforts were totally non-effective in making him spiritually alive!

You can go to church, live a good life, even study the Bible but unless you allow Jesus to change your life you are missing the heart of the gospel and the message of the passion of Christ.

There is a glaring problem that some of you need to pay very close attention to. You need to understand what it means to be a Christ follower. You need to start allowing God to make the adjustments in your life that reflect the principles of God’s word.

I know that many of you have come to love Sunday mornings. You love the music and the atmosphere that you feel when you come into this place each week. People are friendly, the music makes you feel good, the preaching is helpful and sometimes thought provoking but there is something that is missing.

Some of you have prayed and some of you believe that Jesus Christ is your Savior. Today we are examining together this whole idea of being a Christ follower and what that means in your daily life.

1. Nicodemus discovered that Jesus is always ready to meet the need of a seeker.

All you have to do is seek for God and you will find Him.

“Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." John 3: 1-2

Nicodemus did not stumble across the life changing message of Jesus Christ by accident. He intentionally went looking for Jesus to learn more.

You and I can know as much about God as we want. There is a verse in the Bible that says you will find God when you search for him with all of your heart.

We go after the things we really want. We will go to great lengths to achieve the things that are important to us. We will make sacrifices for things we want but will we make sacrifices to know God?

Are you willing to pursue God and desire Him above everything else? You can find Him when you really look for Him.

2. He discovered that Jesus is much more than a great teacher.

“we know you are a teacher who has come from God.” John 3:2b

There are many people who would want to teach or believe that Jesus was just a good teacher but to experience the life changing message of Christ you have to come to understand what Nicodemus discovered. He was more than just a great teacher.

There are many religious gurus that claim to be able to make you spiritual but there is only one Savior who can radically change your life and forgive your sins.

3. He discovered that we are all born the same way – sinners!

“In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” John 3:3-6

Every person that is born is born naturally. We are all born the same way from a physical stand point. But there is something else we all share in common and that is the fact that we are all born sinners. We are all born with a sinful nature.

I know some of you have watched the miracle of child birth in the last few weeks or even this week and some of you yesterday! It is hard to believe that those precious little children who are born through the miracle of the human birth process could possibly be born with sinful natures.

All you have to do is hang around for a few months and you will begin to notice that children are born with the ability to deceive and lie with incredible dexterity.

We are all born with an inward nature that needs corrected. It is for this reason that Jesus Christ came and died. He provided the ability for frail and flawed humans to have the adjustment made that is necessary to correct our sin problem.

Nicodemus found out what makes experiencing Jesus so important.

4. He discovered that God’s way of salvation is not reformation or religion but regeneration.

“You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.”

The term regeneration is a theological term that means: new birth. We are born again not in the natural sense of course but in spiritual terms we move from death to life.

“But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” Titus 3:4-5

Jesus teaching of regeneration is even taught in Ezekiel when he declared, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart our of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.” Ez. 36:26

5. He discovered that being born again is not optional.

Jesus said, “You must be born again.” John 3:7

6. He discovered that no one is too old to be born again.

"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked.

7. He discovered that there is only one way to be born again.

“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” John 3:14

Bill W. Testimony and call to salvation. (live)

      Recognize that God loves you and has a plan for your life.
      Recognize that sin separates you from God and others.
      Recognize that Jesus Christ died and rose again for our sins.
      You must repent and ask God for forgiveness.
      Place your trust in Christ and receive Him as your Savior.

2004/04/18

Sermon Reources available here...

Nic. At Night John 3: 1-16

Among the many dumb things people have sent around on the internet is the following, How many Christians does it take to change a light bulb?

Pentecostal: Ten – One to change the bulb & nine to pray against the spirit of darkness
Presbyterians: None – The lights will go off & on at predestined times
Roman Catholics: None – Candles only
Baptists: At least 15 – One to change the bulb and three committees to approve the change & decide who brings the potato salad & fried chicken.
Episcopalians: Three – One to call the electrician, one to mix the drinks and one to talk about how much better the old one was
Methodists: Undetermined – Whether your light is bright, dull, or completely out, you are loved. You can be a light bulb, turnip bulb, or tulip bulb. Church wide lighting service is planned for Sunday. Bring bulb of your choice and a covered dish
Lutherans: None – Lutherans don’t believe in change
Amish: What’s a light bulb?

5. He discovered that being born again is not optional.

Jesus said, “You must be born again.” John 3:7

6. He discovered that no one is too old to be born again.

"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked.