March 25, 2012
Lesson: John 3:11-21;
Golden Text: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
I. INTRODUCTION. Almost all people in the world want to go to heaven when they die, and they also want to know for sure that that is where they are going.This week we take a look at the simple solution God has offered us for this great dilemma through His Son Jesus Christ. He died so that we might live.Salvation comes when we trust Jesus and what He has already accomplished for us.
II. THE DANGER OF UNBELIEF (John 3:11-15). Nicodemus had earlier greeted Jesus as a teacher from God and one whom God had empowered to work miracles (see John 3:1-2). He was in need of learning much more about Jesus and what He offered.Nicodemus had difficulty understanding what Jesus told him about being born again (see John 3:3-8).Nicodemus asked Jesus, “How can these things be?” (see John 3:9), to which Jesus answered with a question of His own: “Art thou a master (or teacher) of Israel, and knowest not these things?” (see John 3:10). This is where our printed text begins,
A. Rejecting the witness (John 3:11-12).
1. (vs. 11). After questioning Nicodemus about being a teacher in Israel (since he was a Pharisee) and his not knowing about being born again, Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.” The word “We” indicates that Jesus was probably talking about He and John the Baptist, for both of them had given the basis for understanding the way of salvation. This is what Jesus meant by “We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen.” However, Jesus said but “ye receive not our witness.” The use of the word “ye” is plural and refers to the people of Israel not just Nicodemus. Jesus was condemning the unbelief of all Israelites. Three years later, Israel’s unbelief would result in Jesus’ crucifixion. However, many individual Jews would be saved.
2. (vs. 12). Jesus continued to say, “If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?” The “earthly things” refer to verses 7-8 where Jesus gave illustrations using the physical birth for the new birth, and the wind for the invisible but powerful ministry of the Holy Spirit. Note: Nicodemus had wondered how the things Jesus was saying about a person needing to be born again (see John 3:3) could really be true (see John 3:9). To explain the new birth to Nicodemus, Jesus in verses 7-8 (not a part of our printed text) in essence said that the Holy Spirit in the believer can be compared to the action of the wind in a forest. The presence of the wind can be seen by the waving branches and rusting leaves of the trees. Likewise, the believer shows by his or her deeds and words that the Spirit has profoundly influenced him or her. Nicodemus couldn’t understand and believe Jesus’ basic teachings about the new birth, which He illustrated by earthly things. Since Nicodemus could not believe the “earthly things” neither would he be able to understanding the “heavenly things” that Jesus would teach him. This respected Jewish leader was mystified. If he couldn’t comprehend basic teachings about regeneration (the new birth), which Jesus had illustrated with earthly analogies, how could he grasp more complex heavenly truths? He couldn’t. Faith in Christ is important not only for the new birth, but also for grasping the truth God gives for Christian living.
B. Coming down from heaven (John 3:13). Jesus then said to Nicodemus “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.” Jesus was saying that no one can come to know God without divine revelation. No “man,” only Jesus “came down from heaven” and has gone into heaven to gain knowledge of God and returned to earth to share that knowledge. Nicodemus needed to be taught the things of God by God’s special Envoy, Jesus Christ. God’s incarnate Son was fully qualified to reveal God having come from God’s presence. The description “Son of man” is a reference to Jesus Christ, the God-Man, the Messiah (see Daniel 7:13). It emphasizes Jesus’ true humanity. The phrase “which is in heaven” simply means that even though Christ was on earth at the time, He still had a direct connection with His Father in heaven and being divine Himself, was in heaven too.
C. Lifting up the Son of Man (John 3:14-15).
1. (vs. 14). Here Jesus said, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up.” The incident described here is recorded in Numbers 21:6-9. Jesus used it to explain how the coming of the Son of Man would bring salvation for the people on earth. During the wilderness wandering in Moses’ day, the Israelites complained about leaving Egypt and blamed Moses for bringing them into the wilderness to die of starvation. God sent fiery serpents among the Israelites as a divine judgment. The serpents fatally bit many people because of their unbelief and rebellion. Moses offered an intercessory prayer when the people confessed their sin. God then responded by having Moses make a bronze serpent and put it on a pole so that those who were bitten could look up at it and be healed. The elevated serpent pictured Christ, who would be lifted up on Calvary’s cross. In faith the Israelites looked at the bronze serpent and were saved from death; likewise, sinners are saved by looking in faith to the crucified Christ. It is a simple matter of doing exactly what God said to do without any other human effort whatsoever (see Ephesians 2:8-10). To show the necessity of Jesus being crucified, He said just like the bronze serpent, “even so must the Son of man be lifted up.” The word “must” indicates that Jesus being lifted up on Calvary’s cross was a divine necessity.
2. (vs. 15). Then Jesus told Nicodemus that the reason why He had to be lifted up was so “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” Salvation comes when we look up to Jesus believing that He will save us from sin’s deadly bite. Jesus also said what would happen to “whosoever believeth in him.” Anyone who believed in Him would not “perish” or be completely destroyed, but instead they would have “eternal life.” Jesus’ death on the cross has provided the payment for our sins and the only requirement for salvation is to look to Him in faith (believe on Him and His works).
III. THE IMPORTANCE OF BELIEF (John 3:16-21)
A. Receiving eternal life (John 3:16-17).
1. (vs. 16). Jesus continued to say, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” This verse is the clearest declaration anywhere that salvation is free, a gift from God when we believe in His son. It declares that God “so loved” everyone He created, “the world,” and was willing to give the highest sacrifice possible for their redemption and assurance of heaven. The height of true love is the willingness to sacrifice anything necessary for the good of the one loved. God gave His one and only Son for us! The promise in this verse is that those who believe in Jesus will not “perish.” The Greek word used here is apollumi, and it means “to be completely destroyed.” This refers to eternal death, or eternal separation from God. It does not refer to physical death alone because we will all die physically unless Jesus returns for us soon. The “everlasting life” promised here is living forever in the very presence of God where there will be no more death, sickness, evil, or sin (see John 14:3; I Thessalonians 4:17; Revelation 21:4).
2. (vs. 17). Just in case anyone thought God deliberately planned the incarnation and crucifixion of Jesus in order to condemn the world, Jesus denied such an idea when He said, “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” People born in sin condemn themselves before the holy God by continuing in sin. From eternity past, God’s will has been to save those He created (see Ephesians 1:4-5). Although sinners deserve eternal death, God desires that they be saved (see Ezekiel 18:32; Luke 9:56; I Timothy 2:3-4; II Peter 3:9).
B. Escaping condemnation (John 3:18-19).
1. (vs. 18). Jesus continued to say, “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” Those who believe in Jesus Christ are not condemned to eternal separation from God, but those who don’t believe are already condemned. Jesus said that the reason they are condemned is because they haven’t “believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” People are not condemned to eternal damnation because of their sins, it is because they don’t believe in Jesus Christ, the only Son of God. The Apostle Paul would later write, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). This type of reassurance would cause one to wonder why anyone would refuse the offer of salvation that Jesus gives.
2. (vs. 19). In this verse Jesus gives the explanation for why people reject God’s gift of salvation. He said “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” When Jesus came into the world, He brought the light of eternal life so that people could have the opportunity to live with Him forever. However, men condemned themselves because they “loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” In other words, people by nature resist the truth because it exposes their sinfulness and the darkness in their lives. Note: In the minds of many people, sinful living is fun and enjoyable, and they don’t want to give it up. They would rather continue with their sinful lifestyle. Mankind does not love darkness for itself but rather for what darkness hides. If a person can stay out of the light of divine truth, he can continue to enjoy his sinful living.
C. Finding light (John 3:20-21).
1. (vs. 20). Continuing His explanation of why people reject salvation, Jesus said, “For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” The person who lives in sin or darkness, hates the light of the gospel message and won’t come to accept it “lest his deeds should be reproved.” In other words, the closer a person comes to the light of the gospel, the more his sinfulness is exposed. Many people who have heard the plan of salvation can explain it and even understand it but yet they still refuse to accept it. They would rather remain in the darkness of their sin and commit spiritual suicide.
2. (vs. 21). Yes, there are those who do evil and hate the light of the gospel, but here Jesus says, “But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” The one who lives by the truth accepts the light of the gospel message so “that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” This simply means that it can plainly be seen by the deeds of the saved person that salvation is “wrought” or done through God.
IV. Conclusion. Nicodemus came to Jesus at nighttime and heard words that millions would not only hear but also believe in the centuries to come. The Lord did not come to condemn, for man was already condemned; He came to save. However, sinful man must recognize his condition and future without Christ and exercise faith in Him. Most will not do that, for there is something about sin and its accompanying moral darkness that people like and find difficult to forsake.
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