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welcome to everyone just a couple of announcements before we begin our worship in the first place the hour service tonight will be the Lord's Supper that's at 5pm bible study will commence this Wednesday night we are in the book of first King's and then there are new phone and email directories on the back table so if you want to pick one of those up and update your information at home that would be most helpful well for our call to worship this morning you can turn with me to the prophet Ezekiel Ezekiel chapter 36 Ezekiel chapter 36 just picking up the latter portion of this section of God's Word beginning in verse 22 therefore say to the house of Israel thus says the Lord God I do not do this for your sake o house of Israel but for my holy name's sake which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went and I will sanctify my great name which has been profaned among the nations which you have profaned in their midst and the nations shall know that I am the lord says the Lord God when I am hallowed in you before their eyes for I will take you from among the nations gather you out of all countries and bring you into your own land then I will sprinkle clean water on you and you shall be clean I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you i will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh i will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and you will keep my judgments and do them then you shall dwell in the land that i gave to your father's you shall be my people and I will be your God amen well turn in your Trinity hymnal to the very back of the hymnal to and can it be and can it be when you find that you may stand and will sing together [Music] [Music] Oh Oh [Music] Oh Oh [Music] Oh [Music] Oh [Music] Oh [Music] Oh a man well let us pray or blessed God and our Holy Father it is a joy to gather on the Sabbath day it is a joy to gather in the presence of the triune God the God who has made this world the God who governs it and the God who has ridden a redeemed his own elect through the son the Lord Jesus Christ we extol thee we praise thee we worship thee we ask that today as we gather together you would be in the midst of your people here that you would be hallowed and glorified and praised that we would be a thankful lot as we sing and as we pray and as we look to Holy Scripture we consider the great redemptive truths that scripture sets forth concerning our Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation that we have in him as the Apostle Paul says and as we can testify to you have blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus we thank you for your Providence in our lives and keeping us together and healthy over this past year we look forward to this coming year and we want to see the glory of God in this local church and that end father we pray that you would be pleased to save sinners through the preaching of the gospel we pray that you would do what is impossible with men that is possible with a sovereign and an all-powerful God even today Lord we pray that today would be the day of salvation that you'd open eyes and open ears and hearts to the truth of the gospel and may you call sinners out of darkness into marvelous light we pray that you would sanctify your people cause us all to grow and conformity unto the Lord Jesus Christ we know you didn't save us simply to free us from from hell we certainly know that is part of it but you saved us to conform us unto the image of your beloved son so grant each of us the power of your Holy Spirit and a genuine desire to pursue those things that are pleasing in your sight we would pray God Almighty that you would just bless and each of these endeavors and help us to bring glory and honor and praise unto you we gather here this morning we are mindful of our own remaining corruption of our own sin and we confess that now and pray that you would forgive us and cleanse us we pray that you would wash us a fresh in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and and cause us God to respond in the fear of the Lord with reverence and with the genuine desire to enter in before you for worship we would ask God that you would look with favor upon each and every one in this local body that struggles physically we know there are several we commit them to you and to the word of your grace and pray that you would look with favor upon each and every one we ask that you would bless all of us God as we all have our spiritual trials and difficulties there are manifold temptations present to us in this life so we pray for the ministry and the power of the Holy Spirit we pray that you would cause us to reflect upon the glory of Jesus Christ cause us to love Christ far more than we love any sin or temptation cause us to grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord that we may indeed honor and glorify you as we live the Christian life in this world we would ask also that you would bless the Daniel and Ellie and family we praise you and thank you for this ministry in Mexico we pray that you would bless them on this Lord's Day and cause them to be full of the words of truth to speak in love to those who need to hear the gospel and may you bless their efforts to render temporal aid and and tangible goods we just pray God that these things would have a lasting influence upon the people there we also pray that you would grant them safety as they return and just continue to watch over them and daily encourage their hearts and strengthen them in the faith we ask God that you would be gracious to not only this church but other churches in chilliwack we thank you that we're not alone we pray that the peace of God would indeed be upon the Churches of Christ in this community we pray that you would cause your people to be prayerful cause us to be devoted to Holy Scripture cause us to shine as lights in a crooked and perverse generation and cause us God a book give us a boldness to hold forth your word of truth be merciful in this community we pray that more and more sinners would come out of darkness into marvelous light confessing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior we pray you'd be merciful throughout this nation and to the uttermost parts of the earth God the desperate need today is the power of the Holy Spirit we know that political efforts and other things that are done in the in the world though not in vain completely cannot get at the root of man's issue which is sin and alienation from a holy God so we pray for the proclamation of your gospel that it would go forth that it would run swiftly and be glorified that you would be pleased to cause that word to conquer a multitude and turn many from their their idols to the true and living God we pray for our brothers and sisters in those nations that are steeped in Islam and other false religion those nations there is such severe and hard persecution for the people of God we just pray that you would encourage our brothers & our sisters cause them to persevere and cause them to know the nearness of God as their good and we do pray for these lands that the preaching of the gospel would go forth and many would come to know Christ as Lord and Savior we pray God in heaven that you would be merciful to the governing authorities in this land we certainly live in days that look like the prophet Isaiah is days when men call good evil and evil good things that are wicked and abominable in your site or celebrated and we can only cry out to you that in your wrath you would remember mercy that you would send the spirit to revive the church and to awaken those who are dead in their trespasses and sins and we pray that men and women in high places and the political political high places would be like Solomon crying out for wisdom that they would heed the instruction of David king of Israel that they would kiss the son that they would bow to the Lord Christ lest he be angry and they perish in his way when his wrath is kindled but a little we long to see righteousness we long to see an end to abortion and euthanasia and these other vile attacks upon the image of God Most High we pray that you would be merciful and send forth your truth and accomplish those things which are which are outside of our grasp Lord we know we need sovereign grace and sovereign might and we pray that you would do this for your glory sake and we come to you now father through your son the Lord Jesus Christ oping and praying by the Spirit of the Living God and we pray that in this place God would be all in all and we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well for our second him you can turn to number four hundred four hundred and two in your Trinity hymnals number 402 will stand as we sing together [Music] Oh [Music] amen we can turn in your Bibles to Matthew 25 for our scripture reading this morning Matthew 25 Matthew 25 will begin reading in verse 1 then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom now five of them were wise and five were foolish those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps but while the bridegroom was delayed they all slumbered and slept and that midnight a cry was heard behold the bridegroom is coming go out to meet him then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps and the foolish said to the wise give us some of your oil for our lamps are going out but the wise answered saying no lest there should not be enough for us and you but go rather to those who sell and buy for yourselves and while they went to buy the bridegroom came and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding and the door was shut afterward the other virgins came also saying Lord Lord open to us but he answered and said assuredly I say to you I do not know you watch therefore for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming where the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them into one he gave five talents to another two into another one to each according to his own ability and immediately he went on a journey then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them and made another five talents likewise he who had received to gain two more also but he who had received one went and dug in the ground and hid his Lords money after a long time the Lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them so he would receive five talents came and brought five other talents saying Lord you delivered to me five talents look I have gained five more talents besides them his Lord said to him well done good and faithful servant you were faithful over many things excuse me you were faithful over a few things I will make you ruler over many things enter into the joy of your Lord he also who had received two talents came and said Lord you delivered me to me two talents look I have gained two more talents besides them his Lord said well done good and faithful servant you have been faithful over a few things I will make you ruler over many things enter into the joy of your Lord then he would receive the one talent came and said lord I knew you to be a hard man reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed and I was afraid and went and hid your talent in the ground look there you have what is yours but his Lord answered and said to him you wicked and lazy servant you knew that I reap where I have not sown and gathered where I have not scattered seed so you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest so take the talent from him and give it to him who has ten talents for everyone who has more will be given and he who will and he will have abundance but from him who does not have even what he has will be taken away and cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth amen well this is still a part of the Olivet discourse God willing we'll return to it in our exposition in the coming weeks just a couple of things to notice the Lord Jesus gives them a series of of parables or illustrations to enforce upon that the necessity to take heed to the word that first parable concerning the wise and the foolish virgins obviously highlights the need for preparation it's obvious or it's rather amazing that we prepare in every area of life and we leave spiritual things on notice in other words people take great pains to make sure they have a good savings account to pay off their mortgage their insurance all those things are taken care of there nifty and tidy but ask a man where he will go when he dies and so often persons have given no thought to it whatsoever we need to be prepared we don't live in a land of abject darkness now certainly there's a lot of ethical darkness but we have the Scriptures we have the Word of God there is faithful preaching going on there is a whole host of men that will stand up every Sabbath day and call you to repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ being unprepared is not a good option we need to be like these wise virgins we need to understand the master is going to return and the master is going to call us to account and the only way to be safe before the master is by being clothed in the Masters righteousness by believing on him by looking to him alone for salvation and then certainly this parable of the talents highlights the necessity of faithfulness a lesson that's oftentimes hard for us to get our minds wrapped around faithfulness earnestness perseverance Kingdom consistency we have been saved to serve the lord of the master if he's entrusted five to us let us go out and traffic with that he's entrusted to let us go out and use those for his glory if he's given us one instead of whining or complaining or hiding it we ought to use it to further Kingdom causes we ought to be faithful we ought to be prepared we ought to realize that our beloved Lord Jesus is going to come again in glory to judge the living in the dead well let us pray our Father we thank you for the written word we thank you for the Holy Spirit who has given us this word we pray that as we consider it he would write these things upon our minds and hearts may we all be prepared and may we all take heed to the scriptures that we hear on a regular basis and may we be faithful as men and women in your kingdom god help us as we enter into a new year often times there are resolutions and often times there are promises just cause us to be faithful God to do what we're supposed to do give us the grace to do it tirelessly to do it with a view to bringing glory to you not for fame or fortune or prestige or recognition or any other thing that this world attaches value to that help us to be faithful before our God his Christ and we pray these things through Jesus our Lord amen well please turn with me for our final him before the preaching to number 220 hymn number 220 will stand as we sing together [Music] Oh [Music] well please turn with me in your Bibles to John the three our focus this morning will be on verses 1 to 10 the doctrine of the new birth or regeneration essentially God's work in the heart of his elect wherein he makes them alive together with Jesus Christ certainly election and predestination have temporal priority or precedence over regeneration but regeneration is that work of God behind the scenes in other words when a sinner believes the gospel when a sinner repents from their sins it's not because that sinner is a great guy it's not because that sinner has exercised his will responsibly but it's because God Most High has had dealings with him it is the reality that I read at the outset of worship an old testament counterpart of John 3 1 to 10 is Ezekiel the prophet Ezekiel 36 25 to 27 God makes us alive by his sovereign grace by his power and the first fruit of that or one of the first fruits of that is faith in our Lord Jesus Christ regeneration or the new birth is first it comes prior to the exercise of faith it's not that we believe and then were born again could not be the case that somebody dead in their trespasses and sins could believe God must make us alive first he must give us life and faith and repentance so that we may indeed close with Christ but beginning in John 3 at verse 1 there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus a ruler of the Jews this man came to Jesus by night and said to him rabbi we know that you are a teacher come from God for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him jesus answered and said to him most assuredly 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 most assuredly 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 the sound of it but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes so as everyone who is born of the Spirit Nicodemus answered and said to him 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 have told you earthly things and you do not believe how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things no one has ascended to heaven but he who came 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 he who believes in Him is not condemned but he who does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God and this is the condemnation that the light has come into the world and Men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil for everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light lest his deeds should be exposed but he who does the truth comes to the light that his deeds may be clearly seen that they have been done in God amen let us pray our Father we thank you for your written word and we pray now for the Ministry of the Holy Spirit God we confess our coldness to spiritual things we confess our waywardness certainly as the hem writer says we attest we are prone to wander and prone to leave the God that we love we ask that you would revive our hearts that you would warm our hearts that you would cause us to receive the truth with Thanksgiving and for any and all who are dead in their trespasses and sins here this morning we don't appeal to their ability we appeal to the sovereignty and the power of God Almighty and we would ask you would open eyes and hearts to the truth that you would give the graces of faith and repentance so that Christ may be believed on and that Christ may indeed see the travail of his soul and be satisfied when we pray these things through Jesus our Lord amen Robert Raymond and his systematic theology highlights that Paul refers to the new birth as life-giving resurrection with Christ and he points to Ephesians 25 in Colossians 2 13 as well Paul highlights its the divine work of new creation it's that whole doctrine behind the apostle statement second Corinthians 5 if any man be in Christ he is a new creature this is regeneration this is the new birth this is the goodness of God in opening our hearts and giving us life but Raymond goes on to say it is particularly John following the teaching of Jesus himself however who is in a unique sense the theologian of the birth from above in other words if you read John you will see that emphasis over and over again he speaks of us being born of God you'll see it as we move through our study this morning in not only this passage but in first John as well so what we have essentially in verses 1 to 10 are a dialog with Nicodemus and then in verses 11 to 21 is Jesus discourse on salvation he highlights the efficacy of faith in his death for salvation he highlights the greatness of God's love manifested at the cross which I hope to look at too specifically john three sixteen and then highlights the condemnation that is upon those who continue to reject the Lord Jesus Christ and the mercy of the gospel itself but let's look at this dialogue this interaction this discussion between Jesus and Nicodemus we'll look at first of all the question posed by Nicodemus in verses 1 and 2 secondly the response by the Lord Jesus in verses 3 to 8 and then thirdly the indictment by the Lord Jesus in verses 9 to 10 notice verse 1 there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus a ruler of the Jews now what Jesus is going to do in these next few chapters is deal with individual persons he interacts with specific persons notice the end of chapter 2 it says in verse 24 Jesus did not commit himself to them because he knew all men and had no need that anyone should testify of man for he knew what was in man we see that displayed in this passage Nicodemus doesn't ask him what must I do to enter into the kingdom of heaven Jesus goes right to the point Jesus the dresses this very specifically because he knew what was in man in John chapter 4 he meets this Samaritan woman by the well and he goes right to the point why because he knows what's in man he is dealing with individuals he is dialoguing with persons he has come into contact with sinners and he is giving them spiritual truth now this man is a Pharisee a ruler of the Jews he was probably a ruler in terms of ecclesiology he was a not a civil ruler but an ecclesiastical one he had a high position perhaps in the Sanhedrin he was a religious leader he was a Pharisee he was a man that appeared right before all Israel but as we survey the particular context I think it highlights for us the spiritual bankruptcy of Israel at the time of our Lord you see that not only in the temple cleansing in John chapter 2 I mean if everything was right Jesus wouldn't have to go in and cleanse the temple Jesus wouldn't have to go in and chase out the money changers this is an indicator that it was spiritually bankrupt and as we move through this passage Christ upbraids this Pharisee and says here you have a ruler of the Jews and you do not know these things it is a pathetic and a very bad thing when men who are tasked with preaching and teaching the Word of God do not know the Word of God it's a terrible thing when the man that are charged with preaching the truth do not know the truth themselves that I want to be one of the first requirements when we look at men for the ministry have they come in the saving union with Jesus Christ had they been conquered by the truth do they know that truth do they love that truth and can they explain that truth that is absolutely essential for the elder in the church of christ he must be apt to teach I don't care what a great guy he may be if he is not apt to teach he is not supposed to be an elder this is a tough pill for some people to swallow but it's a pill we all ought to happily swallow because Christ has station Shepherds over his people not as Lords and not as authoritarians and not as tyrants but as man who teach and preach the truth that's what shepherding is about it's providing the sheep with the food of god for the good of their souls you don't need micromanagement in your life you need the faithful exposition of God's Holy Word so Nicodemus is a ruler of the Jews and he doesn't know the prophet Ezekiel this is a bad thing now note when we come to this question again it's not technically a question the Nicodemus asked Jesus answers a question but Nicodemus doesn't pose it but notice that he does have a term of respect for Jesus verse 2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to him there's a lot of ink spilled on why he came by night fear he was afraid I don't know the tax doesn't tell us but he came by night and there's certainly a night light light sort of motif going on in John's Gospel all throughout but he comes to him by an IT addresses him as rabbi he will fare later in John's Gospel specifically in John 7 and as well in John 19 and he seems to be a decent man this Nicodemus but he addresses him with this term of respect and he also highlights or recognizes his power and this is again this is how chapter 2 n's verse 23 now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover during the feast many believed in his name when they saw the signs which he did brethren a lot of us think that whenever we see they believed in his name that must mean they were they were believers not necessarily in John 6 you will see that many of his disciples followed him no longer they believed when they saw the signs that he was someone unique they didn't necessarily believe in blood atonement they didn't necessarily believe in substitution ery curse barrick they didn't necessarily believe in the Messiah Christ himself and so more than likely Nicodemus was one of these people but notice what he says at the end of verse 2 he says we know that you're a teacher come from God for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with it now I highlight all these things to make this very obvious application he is a religious teacher isn't he he is a ruler of the Jews he shows Jesus common respect by highlighting that he's a rabbi as well he even recognizes something of the uniqueness of Jesus he obviously came from God because no one can do the signs that that you do unless God is with them I mean we might say that this man's religious resume is pretty solid up to this point but notice Jesus says you must be born again this is the great way of a man centered religion that if I try harder if I do more if I just get my act together well then God will accept me the way that I am no this man was a ruler of the Jews who must be born again this man is a religious teacher who must be born again this man pays respect to the Lord Jesus he must be born again he recognizes the power of the Lord Jesus is man come from God he must be born again isn't this the great teaching of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 3 is he's combating the Judy izing error says if there was anybody out there in Judaism they could have earned their way to God it would have been Paul that's what he's doing in Philippians 3 he marshals up his religious resume not to Pat himself on the back but to highlight free grace he was born of the stock of Israel the tribe of Benjamin circumcised on the eighth day concerning the law he was zealous he was a Pharisee but all those things work dong all those things were lost none of that would have ever commended my soul to God I needed Christ and I didn't see I needed Christ until God regenerated me he made me alive he he gave me the new birth you see there's a lot of lies in this world and oftentimes perpetrated in the Christian Church that if we just do a little bit more everything will be okay what's the logic of the Apostle in Galatians 221 I do not set aside the grace of God for if righteousness comes through the law then Christ I'd invade I submit and we'll see this as we move why is Nicodemus perplexed why is he just bonkers with this teaching not only with kenna man go back into his mother's womb but later on in verse 9 how can these things be this is the offense of Christianity it's a redemptive religion you see if Jesus would have said try harder be better be a more moral you love your wife more cut your lawn more pay your taxes more that wouldn't have surprised Nicodemus it doesn't surprise the man of the world if we come and preach moralism to them you gotta try harder you gotta do better you got to be more excellent that's not surprising what is surprising is you must be born again because you're in such a state that you're dead in your trespasses and sins there is nothing in you to commend you to God there is nothing in you to get you close to God you need to be renovated you need to be revolutionized you need to be reborn you see that's the message that perplexes the masses that is supernatural that is a redemptive religion and that is what Christ is preaching to this man now note the response by our Lord in verses 328 again the absence of a question he knew what was in man and so he goes right to the heart of it in verse 3 jesus answered and said to him most assuredly this is one of those aw man on man this is a most truly this is one of those times when Jesus as it were says you really need to listen now we really need to listen everything jesus says whether it's here in John 33 or it's in Leviticus chapter 11 we need to listen to what Jesus said but there are these times and instances in our Lord's ministry we underscore certain things and this is one of that most assuredly if he was writing on a word document he would bold it he would underline it he would highlight it he would say you need to pay attention to what I have to say most assuredly i say to you unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God he stresses here the absolute necessity of regeneration if you ever heard that oh he's one of those born again Christians I got news for you if you're not born again you're not a Christian we've got to tears in America don't we there's the the Christians that you know do whatever and their name only and then they're the born-again Christians if you are not born again you are not a Christian if you have not been regenerated by the power of the Holy Spirit if you have not been made alive together with Christ if you are not now believing the gospel by the power of God which gospel alone is unto salvation you are not a Christian it may be kosher and Canada and America to identify as a Christian if you're not a Muslim you're not a Hindu you're not a secular whatever that may be kosher in America and Canada but according to God's Word unless you are born again you're not a Christian what's another word for a Christian believer well we're believers they are the ones who God has regenerated they are the ones who God is made a lot notice the progression in the past he talks about regeneration before he ever gets to faith and you need to appreciate something about verse 3 Jesus is not giving a command Billy Graham has a book called how to be born again when we imagine what that book says but that's not what Jesus is doing here it's not a command now Nicodemus I want you to go out and be born again it's not a command Jesus is saying something from outside of you must happen to you you are passive in this it's not that you're active and you choose for God which is pelagianism it's not even that its cooperation which is arminianism you choose for god and then god does his part that's not what's in view in the text something outside of you must happen to you you must be born again the necessity of regeneration is taught here and as well we need to appreciate the word when he says you must be born again the word can be translated born again are born from above there are several places in Scripture that we could look at both it seems that Nicodemus understands it as again because he speaks of a second birth going into his mother's womb in verse 4 whether it's from above or it's again I think the main point is it's from God you need to be born from God whether it's from above he does that work from above comes upon you opened your eyes opened your hearts and that gives you this new heart in the language of the prophet Ezekiel he takes out the old stony heart and he puts in this new fleshly heart or whether it's born again you were dead in your trespasses and since you've been born again I don't think the point as you know that big of a difference whether we define it as again or from above but it's consistent with what we already find in John's Gospel and John 1 notice in John 1 verses 12 and 13 well picking up in verse 10 he was in the world and the world was made through him and the world did not know him remember verse 10 for our study tonight in john three sixteen a lot of confusion about that word world we see the word world and we think it means must mean everybody well here's three different uses of the word world in one verse he was in the world that obviously means the earth doesn't it he wasn't on Mars he wasn't a Neptune he was in the world and the world was made through him well according to John earlier he made all things so world in that sense is the cosmos everything that is and then it says and the world did not know him well there it's used in an ethical sense the men of the world the fleshly ones of the world then on spiritual ones of the world they rejected him the word world does not always mean every single human being it is the context which defines for us how a word is to be understood and in john three sixteen it's Jews and Gentiles I'll argue that in more detail later on this evening but notice he came to his own in his own did not receive him but as many as received him to them he gave the right to become children of God to those who believe in his name who were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God it's a beautiful thing notice in John 33 most assuredly i say to you unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of god this seeing the kingdom answers to entering the kingdom and in verse 5 and it means to be saving lee participating in the kingdom in other words if you are not regenerate if you are not born again if you have not been born from above if God most high hasn't taken out the old stony heart and put in the new fleshly heart you are not entering the kingdom of god that is the emphasis of the particular passage in view this is a repeated emphasis in the New Testament and I think the necessity of it is seen in many ways but certainly because of the sinfulness of man why is it that unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God because of our depravity because of our filth right Rebecca and I got this little game last week it's called past the pigs quite an interesting little game they're pigs that are dice you roll the pigs and whatever position they end up in you get points you know there's a snout or and you know it's just an odd little kind of funny game I would never think to have a pig sit at my table while I eat I would never if I lived on a farm say to my children make sure you get the pay get better you get the biggest nastiest pick and bring her to our table as we sit down tonight for you know a ham dinner I just wouldn't do that there is no way that a filthy vile wretched stinking Center is going to sit at the marriage supper of the Lamb because God's holy read the end in Revelation 21 and 22 3 times 3 times we're reminded of who is excluded from the New Jerusalem why is john doing that i think to warn the people who are reading but as well to encourage the people that are reading you may have beasts on this earth that are trying to destroy you but when you get up into heaven when you're in that new jerusalem that new heavens and new earth there's no beast there there's nothing that defiles there are no murderers there's no liars there's no cowards there is none of that no fornicators nothing you see we are excluded in Adam in Adam we all die we don't have a desire certainly we may not want to burn forever in hell but that ought not to be translated as I want to be with God there was a third option not burn in hell or do whatever it is that I want to do more people would take that and be where God is and to enjoy the benefits of the lamp to be in the presence and the one who is altogether lovely and chief among 10,000 you see we must be born again because we're wretched we're sinful or vile the only way that a holy God is going to receive sinful man is by making him alive regenerating him giving him eyes to see Jesus Christ giving in faith to lay hold of Jesus Christ because when faith lays hold of Jesus Christ faith is the instrument by which we received the redemptive benefit of Christ we are forgiven of our sins we are cleansed we are washed we are purified and we receive a righteousness such that God invites us to come and sit at his table we have new clothing we have new garments we are fit for heaven so you see you must be born again or else you cannot see the kingdom of God notice Nicodemus his response Nicodemus says to how can a man be born when he is old can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born now notice the lord jesus christ in his teaching illustrates a rather Nicodemus illustrates the principle doesn't he isn't he illustrating the very principle when Jesus says that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit Nicodemus is demonstrating that he's not a spiritual man he's a religious man he's a ruler man he's an esteemed man he might have a respect for Jesus sort of a man but he's not a spiritual man he misses the teaching on the new birth he misses the reality of the doctrine of the necessity of regeneration this is told us by Paul in first Corinthians to 14 but the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to and that's kind of how his response is isn't it what we expect for me to go back into my mother's womb I don't know the tenor or the tone or the inflection of voice that Nicodemus had when he said this I imagine he could have said it just like this how can a man be born when he is old can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born he most likely could have but as well knowing human beings the way that we all do he might have been a little fired up but what do you mean you thought about being born again am I supposed to trace down my mother get her into a hospital enter back into a woman come out again this is what Paul says he cannot receive the things of the spirit he cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned so he asks the question now notice the Lord's response verse 5 most assuredly i say to you unless one is born of water and the spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of god the lord does not answer this way well Nicodemus this is the pathway to the new birth this is the bath way to regeneration believe first on me and then you'll be born again this is the pathway to regeneration Nicodemus repent from your sin and then you'll be book he doesn't answer he reaffirms what he says he amplifies it a little bit with this reference to water in the spirit but I don't think it's a reference to baptism a lot of commentators Sea baptism water baptism in the passage but it's not baptism it's Ezekiel 36 turn back there for just a moment I'm sure you all remember because I just read it less than an hour ago but just in case any of you are struggling with what exactly is e kial 36 25 to 27 says and I'm just being facetious I don't remember exactly what Ezekiel said either notice in 25 this is a statement from God through the Prophet concerning New Covenant reality New Covenant reality life under Messiah regeneration renewal duration and notice specifically well let's just pick up in verse 22 it's instructive therefore say to the house of Israel thus says the Lord God I do not do this for your sake o house of Israel but for my holy name's sake it's intriguing salvation in the first place is for the glory of God salvation certainly benefits all of us doesn't it when we are saved by God's grace when we by God's grace believe the gospel when we've turned from our sins yes we benefit our wives benefit our children benefit martyn lloyd-jones says the the cat a man's house benefits stead of coming home drunk and punting the cat from one end of the room to the other the man now alive in Christ Jesus doesn't punt the cat anymore so everyone wins but the primary emphasis in the salvation of sinners is the glory of God do you see that in the tax tits conspicuous I don't know that the Lord can make it any more evident thus says Yahweh I do not do this for your sake o house of Israel but for my holy names say which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went and I will sanctify my great name which has been profaned among the nations which you have profane in their midst and the nation shall know that I am the lord says the Lord God when I am hallowed in you before their eyes you see it's about God it's about his glory it's about his honor yes we benefit yes others benefit but it's the name of god most high that's in view now note verse 24 all the I wills in this section I mentioned before Pelagian like to think that man makes the choice are minions like to think that man and God make the choice Calvinists or reformed people understand that God is monitor justic God alone works and if you trace out in this section the I wills the only thing we will is that will remember our wickedness and loathe ourselves but notice in verse 24 for I will take you from among the nations gather you out of all countries and bring you into your own land now notice then I will sprinkle clean water on you and you shall be clean I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols you see in John 3 35 water is not a reference to baptism it's a reference to something that a ruler of the Jews most certainly should have known Israel was taught from the outset of the necessity of purification there's a labor in the temple tabernacle temple complex washing purification what's Jesus saying the new birth involves purification from the deadness and the stinking of your sin and it certainly involves this new life in Jesus Christ this blessed garment that he gives to us but this idea of water i think is what the prophet is speaking of here notice in verse 30 of 26 i will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you i will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh i will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and you will keep my judgments and do them you see this is the new birth this is john 3 i think there's no better commentary and what Jesus is doing here with Nick Adina's then Ezekiel 36 I think that this is what Jesus has in his mind and I think that this is why he cannot break Nicodemus and say are you the teacher of Israel you don't know this then you pay attention to the prophet Ezekiel didn't you listen Nicodemus how are you missing this how is this revolutionary how is this perplexing information if anybody ever asks you and unbeliever somebody new to church and they say I've heard this statement born again what does that mean take him to Ezekiel 36 say that God through His Prophet Dan is telling what's going to happen when Jesus comes it certainly happened to Old Covenant believers but it's a feature of New Covenant religion that must take place and when Jesus comes and he tells this man Nicodemus you must be born again or you cannot see the kingdom of God there is define necessity it must be the case notice verse 6 Jesus says the Spirit gives life that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit like gives light a life to like right in other words the flesh gives birth to flash the spirit gives birth to spirit if we must have this change as we are dead in Adam we must be born again we must be given new life there must be this spiritual element or component there must be this spiritual renovation notice in verse 7 the biblical consistency again I think the prophet Ezekiel do not marvel that I said to you you must be born again don't be a don't be surprised by this if you've come here this morning and you say you know every Sunday these guys preach justification by faith alone yeah it's because of the glories of regeneration that person's believe it right you must be born again something must happen to you some would say well this hinders evangelism I mean if you tell a sinner there's nothing they can do oh I'm going to continue to tell you to believe I'm going to constantly press upon you the necessity to look under Jesus for the salvation of your soul but i'm not going to think that somehow in you there resides this island of untouched free will wherein you can make up your mind as you please I come into this pulpit because I believe in John 3 I believe there is a sovereign God in heaven and I believe that he works by and in and through the word and I believe that as that word goes forth the God who gave it is the God who can enable compliance with it that he is able to raise you under the preaching of the word to give you the gifts of faith and repentance so that you may close with Christ I think that any other view of the new birth is actually the one that hurts evangelism if I have to believe that it does depend on you oh it's terrible this world's a mess if I have to think that some of the the people in this war it depends on that praise god it's from outside praise God that he comes that he reaches down and he and he saves the likes of you and I we were not running after God we're running from God we weren't singing his praises where blasphemy isn't I mean we have enough problems now in the state of grace doing what we're supposed to be doing we were dead in our trespasses and sins worse than any kid on this earth ever smell it really is a bad comparison it's unkind to pigs to say that they are no more worthy to sit at my table then a sinner is to sit at the table of God they are far more worthy to sit at our table that the center is to sit at the table of God it's an insult to pigs brethren if you're going to leave here and he's compared us to pigs yeah and I'm apologizing to the pics I don't think we've come to grips with how bad the problem is I really don't i saw it somewhere in Luther or I saw it somewhere about Luther you know one of those things that you're not sure is apocryphal or enough or not something to the effect that if we really understood our sin but for a moment we I don't know if he said explode but that's the meaning i got from it we'd fall apart he said well how could he say that I think he's biblical I think he's on to something remember in the year that King Uzziah died the prophet saw the Lord high and lofty what does the Prophet say when he sees the Lord of hosts say there's my buddy in heaven woe is me for I am on done why for my eyes have seen the king you see this seeing the king and his glory does not make us feel this buddy hood with him but it caused the prophet to know something of this wretchedness it caused him to know something of his sinfulness in his waywardness it caused him to say I'm undone I am ruined so Luther was on to something in that respect we need the spirit biblical consistency do not marvel that I said to you you must be born again and now know what Jesus says concerning the wind 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 as everyone who is born of the Spirit here the Lord Christ highlights the invisibility and the mysteriousness of the spirits ministry yet it is known in experience this morning as I was sitting in my chair our back gate came unlatched and it was about that much play there was a but enough wind to make it keep banging and I kept hearing it but not enough to get up off my chair and go down and secure it but it really Illustrated this you can't see the wind can you you say yeah but I see it when the trick you see the effects you see the effects when that that gain that pesky gag keeps banging you don't see the wind that's what Jesus is saying you don't see the spirit we'll see him in here this morning do we carry is or he's over it no but we know his effects we know his power we know his ability because a formerly dead center now praises Jesus a formerly dead sinner wants to sing amazing grace a formerly dead center wants to join John Wesley and saying long my imprison spirit line fast bound in sin and nature's night you see we know the effects we see the effects but we need to remember that they are the effects the cause is the spirits work in our hearts and lives we're not regenerate because we believe we believe because we've been regenerated we believe because God has made us alive we believe because God has saved us we believe because God has changed our hearts and as well not only the invisibility and the mysteriousness but also what is stressed by our Lord in this analogy with the wind is the sovereignty the spirit that's become popular not so much I don't think I see it as much now of course I guess if we went down to the to the southern states in America we'd see it more revival meetings we're having a revival meeting come tonight at seven-thirty because the Spirit will be there now I don't doubt the spirits omnipresence I just out scheduling him for an appearance at one of our so-called revival meetings he sovereign we don't stand at the origin of where the wind comes from and started we know you know sort of guide it to its final destination the Spirit is sovereign and this work it's not formulaic take these five easy steps and you'll be born again say this prayer and you'll be born again do these thick you're at the mercy of a sovereign spirit but I submit to you there's no better place to be no greater place to be again that idea that if we preach it this way it kills hope sinners will hear this and say there's no hope there's great hope you don't want to save yourself you don't typically want to be saved but God is in the business of assembling a great church from every tribe tongue people in Asia there are multitudes great multitudes that no man can number so I say that this view is the view that that promotes hope God is about saving God is defined or 11 God's things as seen in salvation it's a beautiful wonderful thing the sovereign is the spirit rather is sovereign and as well he is irresistible it's not wonderful brethren if you could resist the Holy Spirit you would people get really bothered by that fourth point of Calvinism the ear you know irresistibility the irresistible grace because you know my uncle chewy resisted it it's talking about God's grace working on the heart of a man by the power of the Holy Spirit I don't doubt there's been a generation and a multitude of uncle he's that have heard the external call the gospel have turned a deaf ear and have walked away but when the Spirit of God works upon the heart of a man it's irresistible you know why because he changes the heart he makes men willing in the day of his power it's not just a moral change or I don't to steal anymore it's a what's called noetic or an intellectual change he changes the mine and it's a factional or the will you see when God gets the heart he gets the whole man it's us that make this disconnect between head and heart and some and that when God changes the heart the whole of man is affected by it his mind his his thoughts his will his affections the spirit that at one time he disdained and abhorred when the Spirit works upon him yes it's irresistible because he wants what the Spirit is offering he wants to Christ to whom the Spirit directs him he wants this one that's lifted off like Moses lifted this brazen serpent in the wilderness God is sovereign John Murray says if we recoil against this doctrine we recoil against Christ himself but he says blessed be God that the gospel of Christ is one of sovereign efficacious irresistible regeneration I say Amen John Murray you're absolutely right and if you have not pondered the reality of that then I submit you ought to now notice the indictment we've already somewhat rehearse this will just be quick here but the question posed by Nicodemus in verse 9 how can these things be how can these things be no Jesus response are you the teacher of Israel and do not know these things the reason he upbraids him is because the Scriptures testify she's not just Ezekiel Deuteronomy 10 this emphasis on the circumcision of the heart what do you think is in view in Deuteronomy 10 and Deuteronomy 30 when God says circumcision of the heart aside about regeneration the logic in Colossians 2 11 and 12 elviiz not to say that baptism has an all-points replaced circumcision no it's to say that circumcision and baptism one from a prospective and one from a retrospective is looking at regeneration see this isn't a doctrine that is developed here by our Lord this is a doctrine that Nicodemus should have known the doctrine that everybody who names the name of Christ should know the doctrine that we ought to embrace with great thankfulness as the regenerated ones well brethren quickly in conclusion the design behind regeneration it'll appeal to our confession here because I think it says it's so beautifully now you won't find a particular chapter on regeneration or the new birth when you look at the second London confession of 1689 but you'll see the chapter chapter 10 on effectual calling and the two are very closely combined again the wording is is similar there are distinctions between effectual calling and regeneration which we simply don't have the time to do at this particular point but they're close enough and connected enough to just appeal to what our confession says with reference to this effectual calling this regeneration this new birth that God gives to his elect it is to call men out of the state of sin and death they are in by nature to go back to our Pig analogy get him out of the the slob get him out of the mud get him out to call men to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ now this doesn't happen you know one of them happens on Monday 2016 you know the next thing takes place on a Tuesday 2017 no no you know this is a sort of the logical you know taking apart the doctrine but regeneration it's not you know something as I said it happens in bits and pieces a little bit regenerate I'm getting there no you're either regen it or you're not like pregnant you either are or you're not there's no I'm kind of pregnant to call or to enlighten men and to enlighten their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God see that's a fundamental problem with man in San he does not receive the things of the Spirit of God now there may be some level where he can understand he understands you shall not murder he understands the concept of Jesus life death and ministry but he doesn't understand it he hasn't appropriated it does it see it the way that a regenerate sees it I mean I'm sure that you've had this experience prior to your conversion to Christ which is the faith and repentance by which we close with Christ gifts given by God but prior to your conversion you probably heard Scripture you probably may have even understood some scripture but after conversion what happens at Scripture becomes alive doesn't it it's a different thing isn't it and it's hard to explain to sounds kinda like trying to describe a color to a blind man how do you describe rad to someone who's never seen red how do you describe blue to somebody who's never seen blue how do you describe mango to somebody leszno a sense of taste well it's it's it's good it's about all we can do right sound way in spiritual things isn't it it's like that man born blind in John chapter 9 he essentially says to the first I don't know what you're all talking about but this jesus healed me I was blind I couldn't see and now I can see I don't know how else to explain it it's the same for us after having come to Christ many of us had come into contact with the Bible at some point we read it was like you know a Japanese phone book then by God's grace we were converted we were saved we have eyes to see it it's like wow it's not magical the words didn't start moving or anything like that but the Spirit is in us we are new men and women in Christ we have been enlightened we have been renewed we have been remade we've been reborn by the power of God Almighty to take away their heart of stone and give to them a heart of flesh to renew their wills and by his almighty power to determine them to that which is good so you apart from God's grace we are determined to that which is bad do you ever look at the world and say wow this can't just be bad politics it's got to be further explanations for what the problems facing the world is isn't that that's soon rebellion tenma t against God when the creature has raised its fist at the creator and said no God well that's what you get a world that looks like this and so God in regeneration remakes us and by his almighty power determines us to that which is good now we don't do that which is good perfectly unfortunately but we have the will and then to effectually draw them to Jesus Christ being made willing by His grace John Murray said regeneration is the beginning of all saving grace in us and all saving grace and exercise on our part proceeds from the fountain of regeneration we are not born again by faith or repentance or conversion we repent and believe because we have been regenerated that's a difference geologically between what's called arminianism and Calvinism those who think that they believed and therefore were born again are simply wrong we are regenerated we're made alive we are renewed we are transformed by God's taking out the heart of stone and putting in the heart of flesh and the first thing is faith it's looking to Christ it's believing in him again it doesn't happen that you regenerated on january first 2017 and then you'll believe the gospel on january first 2018 we're making just logical distinctions here secondly the necessity of regeneration I think we've dealt with this the word of Christ Jesus says you must be born again guess what you be born again we've dealt a bit with the depravity of man being a chief cause for them the necessity of regeneration the holiness of God brethren I think we ought to ponder the holiness of God more often than we do we ought to consider how glorious and how wondrous and how majestic he is how the Prophet said his eye is too pure to approve any evil boy we're not like that are we we need to consider the holiness of god most high Nicodemus was a religious man and even a teacher of spiritual things and he needed to be regenerated he saw Christ signs he needed to be regenerated he showed respect to Jesus he needed to be regenerated we need to appreciate in this passage the efficient cause of regeneration I hope you've already gotten it it ain't us it's the holy spirit it's God Almighty it's monitor jism monitor jism means one working synergism is two working together we believe in monarchism God Most High specifically the Holy Spirit effectually calls regenerates grants the graces of faith and repentance Marie again highlighting this reality if it were not the case that in regeneration we are passive again the verbs in the passage suggest as much you must be born again its passive my command hey nikka divas go out and be born again no you must be born again Marie says if it were not the case that in regeneration we are passive the subjects of an action of which God alone is the agent there would be no gospel at all for less God by sovereign operative grace had turned our enmity to love and our disbelief to faith we would never yield the response of faith and love just wouldn't happen he goes on to say regeneration is at the basis of all change in heart and life it is a stupendous change because it is God's recreative act a cheap and tawdry evangelism is tended to rob the gospel which it proclaims of that invincible power is the glory of the gospel of sovereign grace may the church come to think that come to think and live again in terms of the gospel which is the power of God unto salvation now if you are not a Christian here this morning do not leave here saying I wonder if I'm regenerant believe the gospel believe on the Lord Jesus Christ look and live just as Moses lifted the serpent in the wilderness so must the Son of Man be lifted that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life that's the emphasis that's the command that's what you are called to look to Jesus Christ if you are believing in Jesus Christ it's like that gate that's moving in the wind it's moving in the wind because the wind came and pushed it I'm believing presently because of the power of the regenerating work of God most high and brethren those who confess saving faith in Christ those who are believers those who have sung with Wesley long by imprisoned spirit lay fast bound in sin in nature's night then I diffused a quickening ray I woke the dungeon flamed with light my chains fell off my heart was free I rose went forth and followed the interesting foreign arminian to get it right in that clause that's regeneration he doesn't cooperate here my changed all off my heart was free then I rose went forth and followed thee gods were preempted the rising and the following but those who us who confess faith in Christ the fruits of regeneration certainly faith in Jesus first John 51 John also says that those who are born of God practice righteousness maybe we want to pause for a moment here see when I dates moving in the wind you realize the winds been by when somebody's practicing righteousness or pursuing those things which are pleasing to God because they're pleasing to God spirits been at work and if there is no pursuit of righteousness it may be the case that you've grown lazy you've grown out pathetic you have grown lethargic and you need to repent or it may be the case that you must be born again as well you know what one of the fruits of regeneration is according to John in first John those who are born of God do what they love the Brethren they love the Brethren we know that we have passed from death to life because what we love brethren we'd rather be here with one another on a Sunday morning than doing whatever else right we love God and we love the Brethren do you give her come here maybe a bit sluggish and a little bit heavy hearted a little bit cold and you see the Brethren and it just makes it all better just makes it a happy place it's what the Brethren before we need to love one another we have been born of God those who are born of God love those who are in the family of God I means they love them they pray for them then curves them they call them they they visit then they they care for them brethren love for the Brethren is a fruit of regeneration another fruit according to John is overcoming the world and the wicked one greater is He that is in the world than he that is in you you can never say it was so bad out there the temptations were so strong I had to succumb no you're a blood bought child of god most high whom the Holy Spirit has taken out the old dead stony heart and put in a new fleshly heart he has directed you to Christ you have believed by grace you have repented by grace he is not going to do that great thing and then you on your own pause logic in Romans 8 he who did not spare his own son but delivered him up for us all how shall we not friendly with him give us all things he's going to hang a song on a cross to die for your sins and not be there on a Thursday when you need help to avoid a particular temptation banish the thought Christian you were born as a child of God the Father takes care of his own hi John's point greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world she cannot say the devil made me do it the world made me do it no God's grace is sufficient brother and I hope that we live in light the reality that by God's grace we have been born again again if you are not a believer here this morning the point is not to go home in to search your heart and to say am i regenerate am I born again or to go further behind the scenes and say am I predestined am I elect look and live believe the gospel look to the one alone and whom is forgiveness look to the one alone who receives sinners that's the emphasis that you need to hear today that's the alarm you need blown in Zion that you believe on the son of God will let us pray our Father in Heaven we thank you for the word of God and we thank you for this doctrine of regeneration where you take filthy vile helpless wretched sinners and you make them alive through your power through your sovereignty through your excellency and efficacy how we thank you that you have granted us the graces of faith and repentance to close with our Savior and God help us to live as children in the family of God help us to pursue and practice righteousness and help us to love one another and help us by your grace to overcome the world not in some triumphal istic weird prosperity gospel sense but just being faithful day in and day out resisting the temptations that are so quickly offered in this world grant us all grace got to go from this place is rejoicing in you our Father and may you reach down through the power of the Holy Spirit and save sinners for the praise of the glory of your grace and we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen close with a brief time of meditation and then be dismissed