(John 3:10)
�Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?�
What a contrast between the two engaged in this conversation! Nicodemus had said to Jesus, �We know that you are a teacher from God. Your works back up your message.� Meanwhile, Jesus said to Nicodemus, �You claim to be a teacher. Why would you have trouble understanding these basic things?�
Both of the two were correct. The mighty works of Jesus did confirm His message. One of these mighty works was an understanding of spiritual things. Nicodemus, on the other hand, actually was a teacher and leader of Israel. He was a Pharisee. Yet, Nicodemus could not understand what was meant when Jesus spoke of Heavenly things.
Israel was, it seemed, short one �master� when it came to spiritual discernment. But, unlike the majority of the Pharisee�s who would demand their power even at the expense of the physical life of the One they were supposed to worship, this Pharisee was willing to be taught at the feet of the True Master.
Don�t misunderstand. We are not to accept every new wind of doctrine which comes down the road. Paul warns against such in the fourth chapter of Ephesians. It is the duty of Godly pastors to warn their people of error creeping about.
�11. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14. That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16. From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 17. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18. Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.� (Ephesians 4:11-18)
Since these verses give a picture of the nature of a spiritual church, may we just take a moment to take a short look at this passage before we continue on with the sermon.
Notice the punctuation in verse eleven. Several of the gifts which are imparted to individuals to edify the churches are listed. The gift of pastor and teacher is a combined gift.
One of the duties of the pastor is to teach the Scripture to the congregation. This is as much a part of the Great Commission as is soul winning.
Contrary to popular understanding, there is no division of clergy/layman taught in the Bible. We are all the same under the Eye of God. We are all members, to use an analogy, of the same Army of the Redeemed. Some are given different jobs to do within the church.
Although the pastor is often called to �lead� the church, this is not his function. His only �leadership,� such as it is, is to point to Christ and follow Him. To that end, his responsibility is to teach, correctly, the doctrine of the Scripture.
One of the first �permanent� assignments I had when I arrived in Viet Nam during the war was an attachment to a unit whose job it was to go out for little nature walks in the woods and see if we could find evidence of enemy activity. We carried a map with us so we could call in locations.
Now, I was pretty proficient as a �map reader.� But, the man who had the responsibility of reading that map was not me. The man in charge was tasked with a dual responsibility: He was to lead us in our mission and he was to lead us back �home� to our base camp.
This is a picture of the work of the pastor. He is to lead us in understanding the Scripture even as he leads to our Home in Heaven. We are all called to work here as we are going There.
Many in the church try to rip the Map from the hands of the pastor. Such should not happen! God has gifted him to supply leadership. We may offer some lessons that we�ve learned; the pastor may use these to edify the church. Or, he may not choose to do so. The responsibility is his to provide a rounded view of the Scriptural mission.
Meanwhile, the church as an organization has an obligation to consider whether the pastor is following the Book. If his leadership departs from the Book, he has become a traitor. He may argue that he has good reason to lead otherwise; it makes no difference. When the winds of culture, personal weakness, �professional� advancement, whatever the cause, lead the pastor to depart from the Book, the church has the obligation to remove the pastor as he has removed himself from the will of God.
If you will study Acts, chapter six, you will find the genesis of the position of clergy. The purpose was so that these men could give themselves �continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.� (Acts 4:4)
The Word is our map. The pastor is to lead according to that Word. �What,� some might ask, �about the leading of the Spirit?� The leading of the Spirit will never contradict the leading of the Word. If this seems to be the case, the wrong spirit is being followed!
Verse twelve tells us that the purpose of the pastor is to teach with an eye toward the perfecting of the saints. The saints are the born again believer�s who make up the membership of the local church. To perfect them is to lead them into subjection to the Lord.
We practice tennis, often under the watchful eye of a coach, to perfect our game. We practice music, often under the watchful eye of an instructor or conductor, to perfect our art. We perfect ourselves in the Lord by constantly doing the will of the Spirit. Often this is done under the watchful leadership of the pastor.
This leadership has an eye toward leading the people of the church to find their own �ministry� in the local body of believers. Each has a job to do for the Lord. Each has been gifted in some manner to help in building up each other in the Lord. No one, including the pastor, has a purpose that is above the other. We are each parts designed to help the ministry of the church function under the ultimate leadership of the Lord.
Well, that�s a commercial. And now, back to the sermon. May we notice the words of Jesus. �Jesus answered and said unto him��
There are times when the Spirit will lead us to give a lecture, to do all the talking with someone. This is rare. It is more natural to engage a person in conversation. We might endeavor to �steer� the conversation as the Spirit gives us leading. But, the fact that the other person has a part in the conversation will give him a feeling of �ownership� of the dialogue. In such a situation his mind will be engaged; he will not drift off into daydreaming.
We see that Jesus held an accusation for this man. Jesus said, �Nicodemus, you just don�t understand! And, you are a religious leader.�
Sometimes pastors, especially pastors, get the idea that they have been through a ministerial training course, or a college, and they know all they ever need to understand of the Bible.
Preparing a basic sermon outline can be a very easy task. Preparing a good sermon outline may take a little more time since this will involve a conversation with the Spirit. But, just preparing a basic outline is fairly easy. As a bonus, anyone who has trouble can buy books, or search the internet, to find sermons. Then all we have to do is stand up near the pulpit, push the �on� button, and begin to �perform.�
This is not the work of a pastor! The pastor should have read his Bible. �Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.� (II Timothy 2:15) Study is a responsibility to God.
There are many things in the army that the soldiers really don�t want to do. It doesn�t make any difference. They have their orders.
Folks, we have our orders! Part of the job of the pastor is to teach. How can the pastor continue to teach if he refuses to learn? I�m convinced that�s why so many pastors get so many frequent flyer miles moving from church to church.
Keep in mind that the church does not have a distinction in piety among her membership. What is required of the pastor is also required of the member. God did not tell Paul to preface that order to study with, �Now, this only applies to pastors.�
I�m not going to embarrass by asking how many have studied their Bible, not their Sunday School quarterly but their Bible, today. Have you even read your Bible in the past week?
Did you know that they have a special section for soldiers who continually refuse to follow direct orders from their leaders? It�s called the �stockade.� Where is your place of residence in God�s Army?
Well, I done stopped preaching and started meddling.
It is also fairly easy to accuse someone else of failing. It is hard to offer any sort of assistance as to how they might succeed. Jesus also held the answer for Nicodemus.
Jesus told Nicodemus that he needed to be born again. Then, when Nicodemus could not conceive of what Jesus meant, Jesus explained.
I was dealing with a young woman at a local hospital. She is about fifty years old. That IS young to me! I read John 1:12 to her. �But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.�
Then I explained what it meant to believe in Jesus. It isn�t a �head knowledge� of Jesus that saves. It isn�t even an emotional response to the claims of Jesus that saves. Salvation comes from a trust that Jesus died in time so that I could live in eternity. It is accepting the gift of salvation that He has purchased for me through His sacrificial death at Calvary. It is a matter of putting full faith in His work because no work of mine could ever suffice.
I asked her, then, if she wanted to accept Jesus as her Savior. She said, �No.� Folks, things do not always come about as we would want. But, we are told to work. We are not told to succeed; we are told to work.
But, we have an advantage. I prayed. Now, it means nothing that I prayed. A thousand infidels might pray as they march into war. But, it means all eternity to Whom I prayed. I told God that I agreed with Him; the results were in His Hand and His Time. Will this young lady ever be saved? I don�t know. God does. But, I do know that the Spirit will continue to convict her because God�s Scripture was quoted to her.
In most coffee houses my words will get me a cup of coffee only if I put a five dollar bill on the counter. God�s Words are more than mere words. �For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.� (Hebrews 4:12)
I spoke to this woman the very Words of God. The �ball,� as it were, is now in His Court. I think He can be trusted, don�t you?
By the way, it is wise to continue to pray. God doesn�t need the reminder, although He does appreciate our faith in prayer. But, the prayer will make the answer all the sweeter!
As we consider, we see that Jesus held the alleluias. He is worthy of praise because He is Praiseworthy. This isn�t �circular reasoning.� This is simple observation of fact.
Jesus told Nicodemus of the wonder of the love of God. Jesus told Nicodemus of the wonder of the true Heavenly Vision. Jesus charmed Nicodemus into salvation because Nicodemus� Well, truth be told, Nicodemus had nothing to do about it. He simply responded to the wooing of the True Master.
Nicodemus� salvation meant that there was a voice of truth added to the Pharisee camp. God has never looked for a �race� of people to save. I always hated it when I applied for a job and had to check a box that said �race.� I always crossed it out and wrote in my vote for �Human Race.�
That is the vote of God as well. He saves individuals who come to Him. No one is exempt from the need of salvation. No one is excluded from the need of salvation. Jesus came to ��seek and to save that which was lost.� (Luke 19:10)
As Christians we claim to be followers of Jesus. The Scripture tells us where He went - to seek and save the lost. Not a hard map to follow, is it?
Then why are so few of us doing it!
We also note that Jesus did not overlook the actual worthiness of Nicodemus. ��Art thou a master of Israel��
Jesus began His reply to Nicodemus with a word of praise. Jesus acknowledged that Nicodemus was, in truth, a �master of Israel.�
Do you realize what this was? It was an old concept, currently out of style, called �Politeness.� Politeness is an emphatic consideration of the other person.
Our society is very familiar with the phrase �I demand,� or �I deserve,� or �My rights are,� or even just the simple, �I want.� It seems the words �please� and �thanks� have been relegated to the Saturday morning cartoon shows. Well, that�s not true. I sometimes watch cartoons with my grandchildren. There is more violence, hatred, and fighting during a thirty minute cartoon show than I saw in my entire year of combat during the Viet Nam War.
I exaggerate only slightly. From the �Power Rangers,� to the �Teenage Turtles,� to the �American Dragon,� I have seen more punches thrown than at the old �Friday Night Fights.�
True, the �good guys� always win in these little morality plays. But, shouldn�t someone explain that a right answer may be better than a right cross!
I digress. But, sometimes our �witnessing� will also become confrontational. Can you give me verse and chapter where Jesus ever became confrontational with a sinner to whom He was reaching out?
I know that some sins seem gross and against nature. But, we are not trying to convert the sin; we are to be working to convert the sinner. The old saying of �hate the sin but love the sinner,� is the correct formula for soul winning.
My son has a very gentle bull dog. Put out your hand and the bull dog will run over so he can lick it. He loves people. He will defend his people and property from any threatening; but, generally speaking, the dog loves people.
Years ago I had a dog that would cower in fear if I put my hand out. Apparently someone had mistreated him. He was never a very good pet. He had a sour and suspicious nature. Do you know sinners like that? I would hazard a guess that some Christian has treated them just like that dog was treated.
Jesus reached out in love and respect. But, Jesus never condoned sin. He also spoke a word of perusal to Nicodemus. �Nicodemus, you are a leader but��
Jesus never gave someone false hope. He was too busy giving real hope.
We have to be polite. We also have to be direct. Yes! Sin is sin, and sin is a condition that will condemn a person to the depths of an eternal Hell. We need to warn. We need to let people understand that the path they have taken will not lead to Heavenly bliss unless that path is the One Way of the Bible: Trust in Jesus Christ.
Love and warning. Warning and love. Both at the same time? Don�t try to understand; it can�t be done. When we consider reaching out, as Jesus was doing here with Nicodemus, we are working in a foreign element. We can never do the job in our own power.
Soul winning is an exercise in the values of spirit and eternity. The natural man is opposed to the things of God. �But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.� (I Corinthians 2:14)
We, physical people in a time centric world, are trying to reason on a level of the spiritual and eternal to a people who have no concept of either the spiritual or the eternal. In point of fact, they are �wired� to be opposed to the message we wish to relate to them.
That is why the Spirit goes with us. We study the Scripture. That is a good and important, as well as a commanded, thing. Then we back up our study with prayer to the Spirit. We ask for help, guidance, and power to do the task we�ve been given.
God knows our every weakness. It is time that we learned to experience His power!
This goes with the concept that Jesus gave a word of promise to Nicodemus.
I can promise the grandkids that I�ll take them out for ice cream tomorrow. But, when tomorrow comes I might be sick. The kids might have acted up and their mother is punishing them by not letting them go for ice cream. I could even be robbed and not have the money to pay for the ice cream. There are a thousand reasons why I might renege on my promise.
Jesus never goes back on His Words. When He makes the offer of salvation, it is a done deal. When He promises a mansion in Heaven, He puts the key to the front door in our hand. When He said, �Lo, I am with you always,� that means we are never spiritually alone - no matter what the situation!
Jesus� promise is backed by the iron clad guarantee from the Author of the Universe. He can never fail!
We see, also, a wondering of Jesus. ��and knowest not these things?�
Now, I don�t mean that Jesus was perplexed. What I mean is that Jesus was struck by the incongruity that Nicodemus, a person from the Pharisee sect which had the responsibility of relating the Words of God to the people, did not understand the fact that he must be born again.
It�s as though a man took his horse into a gas station instead of feeding him oats and hay. This sort of man just doesn�t understand horses. As a matter of fact, this sort of man would be dangerous to the horse.
So, too, was Nicodemus, and those of like mind set also, dangerous to the spiritual health of those who looked to them for spiritual guidance. To such a one Jesus gave an offer of help.
Aren�t you glad that Jesus helped you?
We read in Romans 5:18, �Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.� This verse speaks volumes.
Many would argue that the concept of �original sin� is unjust. This term, �original sin,� speaks to the fact that we are born with a sin nature and are, therefore, automatically a creature of sin. There is no prospect of Heaven, or even any sort of relationship with God, because of this inherited sin nature.
Why is this?
When we read the creation account we see that Adam was given dominion over the created beings of the world. Unto Adam, created by the act of God, was given the �Federal Headship� of the creation of God. If this seems strange, consider that man was a special creation, not part of the general creation of the �animal and plant kingdom.� In this I count all life on earth with the exception of human life.
Notice further than unto Adam, and Adam only among all of creation, did God administer the �breath of life.� Although Eve was another special creation, she was created from the life of Adam. God did not breathe the breath of life into Eve as she was constructed from the already created, and energized, life of Adam.
All human life from creation forward has been a progression of this life of Adam. From son and daughter back to father, and back to Adam, all human life has been inherited from Adam and that original breath of life from God. We are a special creation, the apex of the creation of God.
The Scripture is also called �The Breath of God.� That is the meaning of the term inspiration: God breathed out the Words of Scripture. This is a small indication at how honored humanity has been.
When some speak of that �spark of Divinity� within the human, they are only slightly off base! The Scripture is the Words of God and has never been compromised with the error of sin. It is eternal in its existence. The inspired and preserved Scripture has the power of the eternal God in its message because it is the very Words of God.
Man, on the other hand, has found his soul compromised by the taint of sin. We have cast off the mantle of eternity and fashioned leaves of time. We are a dying race from the first breath we take as infants. This is also our inheritance from Adam and his sin.
We were never �divine� in the sense of being �gods.� Our �creative and authoritative� powers were only over the already created beings. We, as a race of humanity, were always subservient to the God Who had originally created all.
God�s Words, being His immediate message to a fallen race, are expressions of His love and glory. They are not �magical� in any sense. But those Words are expressions of His Divine Will and, as such, are part of His majesty.
We, humanity, were expressions of His love but we were only evidences of His glory and majesty. We were pictures of His power in that He had created us; but we were never part of His power as is the Scripture.
We were, however, endowed with eternity. Had Adam never sinned he would have never died. The sin of Adam sullied the repository of the holiness of God which was Adam. Adam, in his sin, lost that relationship with God. God withdrew His favor from Adam rather than compromise with sin.
Eve had already sinned. It was her that gave the fruit to Adam. But, in the accounts in Genesis, chapter three, we see no result of this sin of Eve. This is because there had been no �dominion� given to Eve. She was a moral agent responsible for her own soul.
When Adam sinned we see a great difference. Even the creation was cursed because of the sin of Adam. This difference is important. While Eve was a single moral agent, she would not be responsible for this sin being passed to another. But, Adam�s sin brought the curse of sin to the entire creation because of his responsibilities. Also, as the original recipient of the gift of human life, his sin would be passed down to others who received this life.
Because of Adam, ��all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.� (Romans 3:23) This sin is hereditary. It comes from the life of humanity as passed down, from the time of Adam, from father to offspring.
This also explains one of the necessities for the Virgin Birth of Jesus. The inherited sin nature comes from the father. Since Jesus was virgin born into the world, He had no sin. He was able to perfectly become our Savior because He had no sin of His Own for which to pay.
Since sin is part of every person�s life, including Nicodemus, there is no way that any of us can even approach God to seek forgiveness. It was at this point that Jesus spoke an offer of hope to Nicodemus.
Jesus said that He could offer salvation from sin through the agency of the new birth. A �New Birth.� Consider that the �old birth� had brought us the inherited stain of sin within our being. Jesus was offering a �new birth� that could override the �old program� in the computer of our lives and present us fresh and �debugged� to God.
What Jesus spoke of was an offer of Heaven to Nicodemus. �Nicodemus, you are lost in your sins. There is not one thing you can do that can change that fact. No work can change who you are. No �membership,� even in a �good� church, can change who you are. No alms giving can change who you are. You are lost in your sins.�
But, Jesus didn�t stop with this message of gloom. Jesus also said, �You can�t change who you are. But I can.�
Jesus was offering Nicodemus a new life. Not just a new start was offered; but a new life!
Do you want this free gift of a new life? Would you like to have your own sins, and sin nature, forgiven? Would you like to start all over with God? You can! That is the glorious fact of salvation.
�Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.� (II Corinthians 5:17-18)
God has provided all we could ever need in Jesus Christ. Accept Him. Trust His sacrifice on Calvary as the payment for your sin.
Do it today!