Faith, Rebirth, and Salvation Through the Cross

 

Summary

In the Gospel of John, chapter 3, verses 14 and 15, we find a profound teaching from Jesus during His conversation with Nicodemus, a respected teacher of Israel. Jesus draws a parallel between His mission and the story of Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness. This comparison highlights the necessity of faith for salvation. Just as the Israelites were healed by looking at the bronze serpent, so must we look to Jesus, lifted up on the cross, for our spiritual healing and eternal life.

The essence of this teaching is the realization of our spiritual condition. Like the Israelites, humanity is under the wrath of God due to sin. This is not a popular message, as many struggle with the concept of God's wrath, preferring to focus solely on His love. However, the Bible consistently presents both aspects of God's nature. The wrath of God is a reality that underscores the need for salvation, which is the heart of the Gospel message.

Jesus emphasizes to Nicodemus that understanding and entering the Kingdom of God requires a spiritual rebirth, a concept that Nicodemus initially struggles to grasp. This rebirth is not something we can achieve through our own efforts or understanding; it is a supernatural work of God. Our natural faculties are insufficient in the spiritual realm, and we must become like children, willing to listen and believe.

The crucifixion of Jesus, His being "lifted up," is central to this message. It is through His death that salvation is made possible. This was a stumbling block for many, including Nicodemus, who expected a Messiah of earthly power and glory. Yet, it is through the apparent weakness and shame of the cross that the power of God is revealed. By believing in Jesus and His sacrificial death, we are saved from eternal spiritual death and granted everlasting life.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Necessity of Spiritual Rebirth: Entering the Kingdom of God requires a spiritual rebirth, a transformation that cannot be achieved through human effort or understanding. It is a supernatural act of God, emphasizing our need to rely on Him rather than our own abilities. [04:40]

2. The Reality of God's Wrath: The concept of God's wrath is often uncomfortable, yet it is a biblical truth that highlights the seriousness of sin and the need for salvation. Understanding this aspect of God's nature is crucial for grasping the full message of the Gospel. [22:59]

3. The Centrality of the Cross: Jesus' crucifixion is the pivotal event for salvation. It is through His being "lifted up" that we find healing and eternal life, just as the Israelites were healed by looking at the bronze serpent. This act of sacrifice is the ultimate demonstration of God's love and justice. [41:25]

4. Faith Over Understanding: The call to believe in Jesus and His work on the cross is not about fully comprehending the mystery of the atonement but about trusting in God's provision for salvation. Faith involves accepting what God has revealed, even when it surpasses our understanding. [46:00]

5. The Good News of Salvation: The Gospel is fundamentally about salvation from the wrath of God and the gift of eternal life. It is good news because it offers a way of escape from spiritual death and the promise of everlasting joy and communion with God. [50:09]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:11] - Introduction to John 3:14-15
- [00:49] - Encounter with Nicodemus
- [02:16] - The Importance of Salvation
- [03:39] - Earthly vs. Heavenly Realms
- [04:40] - Necessity of Being Born Again
- [06:24] - Jesus' Divine Authority
- [09:11] - Purpose of Jesus' Coming
- [11:27] - Jesus as Savior
- [13:21] - The Message of the Gospel
- [16:05] - The Need for Salvation
- [20:44] - Humanity's Condition
- [25:35] - The Wrath of God
- [34:10] - The Good News of Deliverance
- [40:17] - The Way of Salvation
- [46:00] - Faith and the Atonement
- [50:09] - Conclusion and Invitation

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- John 3:14-15
- Numbers 21:4-9

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Observation Questions:

1. What is the significance of Jesus comparing His crucifixion to Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness? How does this parallel illustrate the necessity of faith for salvation? [16:19]

2. How does Jesus describe the concept of being "born again" to Nicodemus, and why does Nicodemus struggle to understand it? [04:40]

3. What does the sermon suggest about the natural human condition in relation to God's wrath and the need for salvation? [22:18]

4. How does the sermon describe the role of Jesus' crucifixion in the context of salvation? What does it mean for Jesus to be "lifted up"? [41:25]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the story of the bronze serpent in Numbers 21 help us understand the concept of faith and healing in the context of Jesus' crucifixion? What does this comparison reveal about the nature of salvation? [20:09]

2. In what ways does the sermon challenge the common perception of God as solely loving, by emphasizing the reality of God's wrath? How does this duality affect our understanding of the Gospel? [23:16]

3. Why is the concept of spiritual rebirth essential for entering the Kingdom of God, according to the sermon? How does this rebirth differ from human efforts or understanding? [04:40]

4. How does the sermon address the common expectation of a Messiah with earthly power and glory, and how does it redefine the true nature of Jesus' mission? [41:06]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own understanding of God's nature. How do you reconcile the concepts of God's love and wrath in your personal faith journey? [23:16]

2. Consider the idea of spiritual rebirth. Have you experienced a moment in your life where you felt a transformation that could be described as being "born again"? How did it change your perspective or actions? [04:40]

3. The sermon emphasizes faith over understanding. Are there aspects of your faith where you struggle to trust without fully understanding? How can you work on strengthening your faith in those areas? [46:00]

4. How does the message of Jesus' crucifixion as a means of salvation challenge or affirm your current beliefs about the purpose of Jesus' life and death? [41:25]

5. The sermon suggests that humanity is under the wrath of God due to sin. How does this perspective influence your view of the urgency and importance of sharing the Gospel with others? [22:18]

6. Reflect on a time when you relied on your own abilities rather than trusting in God's supernatural work. How can you shift your mindset to become more like a child, willing to listen and believe? [05:53]

7. Identify one area in your life where you feel spiritually "bitten" or afflicted. How can you look to Jesus for healing and transformation in that specific area? [19:49]

Devotional

Day 1: Spiritual Rebirth as a Divine Transformation
The necessity of spiritual rebirth is a profound truth that Jesus emphasized in His conversation with Nicodemus. This rebirth is not something that can be achieved through human effort or understanding; it is a supernatural act of God. Jesus explained that entering the Kingdom of God requires a transformation that goes beyond our natural faculties. We must become like children, willing to listen and believe, acknowledging our dependence on God for this new birth. This transformation is a work of the Holy Spirit, who renews and regenerates our hearts, enabling us to see and enter the Kingdom of God. [04:40]

Ezekiel 36:26-27 (ESV): "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to let go of self-reliance and invite the Holy Spirit to bring about transformation?


Day 2: Understanding God's Wrath and Our Need for Salvation
The reality of God's wrath is a biblical truth that underscores the seriousness of sin and the need for salvation. While it may be uncomfortable to consider, understanding God's wrath is crucial for grasping the full message of the Gospel. Humanity, like the Israelites, is under the wrath of God due to sin. This aspect of God's nature highlights the necessity of salvation and the urgency of the Gospel message. It is through Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross that we are offered a way to escape this wrath and receive eternal life. [22:59]

Nahum 1:2-3 (ESV): "The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty."

Reflection: How does understanding the reality of God's wrath change your perspective on the urgency of sharing the Gospel with others?


Day 3: The Cross as the Center of Salvation
The crucifixion of Jesus is the pivotal event for salvation. It is through His being "lifted up" on the cross that we find healing and eternal life, just as the Israelites were healed by looking at the bronze serpent. This act of sacrifice is the ultimate demonstration of God's love and justice. The cross, which appeared as a symbol of weakness and shame, reveals the power of God to save. By believing in Jesus and His sacrificial death, we are saved from eternal spiritual death and granted everlasting life. [41:25]

1 Corinthians 1:18 (ESV): "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

Reflection: In what ways can you make the message of the cross more central in your daily life and interactions with others?


Day 4: Embracing Faith Over Understanding
The call to believe in Jesus and His work on the cross is not about fully comprehending the mystery of the atonement but about trusting in God's provision for salvation. Faith involves accepting what God has revealed, even when it surpasses our understanding. Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus highlights the importance of faith over human reasoning. We are invited to trust in God's wisdom and His plan for our salvation, even when it challenges our natural understanding. [46:00]

Hebrews 11:1 (ESV): "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to trust God fully? How can you take a step of faith today?


Day 5: The Good News of Salvation
The Gospel is fundamentally about salvation from the wrath of God and the gift of eternal life. It is good news because it offers a way of escape from spiritual death and the promise of everlasting joy and communion with God. This message of salvation is central to the Christian faith and is the hope that we hold onto. It is through Jesus' death and resurrection that we are offered this incredible gift, and it is our responsibility to share this good news with others. [50:09]

Titus 3:4-7 (ESV): "But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear the good news of salvation? How can you share this message with them in a meaningful way this week?

Quotes



We are here in a realm where all our natural faculties and propensities are not sufficient. Here we are entering the spiritual realm, and we have to realize that at the very beginning because if we come here to these things with our natural minds, with our ordinary reason and understanding and ability, well, we'll make nothing of it at all. [00:39:37]

The whole glory and marvel and mystery of the doctrine of the person of the Son of God, Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. These are the things. Where are we, my friends? Are we clear about this? These are the things about which he spoke to Nicodemus. These are the things that are vital to us. [00:08:00]

The message is this: we are bearers, they say, of glad tidings. What are these glad tidings? The glad tidings are these: unto you this day is born in the city of David a savior, which is Christ the Lord. That's the message, and it's the first announcement that is made to these men after his birth. [00:13:21]

The whole world is under the wrath of God. Oh, but men can't receive that. How shall he receive if I tell you of heavenly things? And the world doesn't. The world hates this above everything else, and yet it's our Lord's own teaching. The world, I say, has a greater objection to this doctrine, this biblical doctrine of the wrath of God, than perhaps of any other single aspect of truth. [00:25:35]

The wrath of God is set against sin and evil. There is no sense in the Old Testament if you reject this doctrine. But as I say, it's not only in the Old Testament. You turn over the pages, and you come to the New Testament, and you look at that first preacher, John the Baptist. What was his message? This was his message. [00:28:50]

The Apostle Paul talks about the wrath of God ten times in the epistle to the Romans alone. Do you remember him writing about that great day in the first epistle to the Corinthians? Do you remember what he says in the second letter to the Corinthians, chapter 5? This is how he puts it: knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. [00:31:40]

The wages of sin is death. I admit very freely that I would have no reason for preaching like this in this pulpit were it not that I believe that we are all by birth spiritually dead because of sin and that unless we are saved, we will go on to eternity in that state of spiritual death. [00:36:01]

The Son of God here told Nicodemus, and he's telling you at this moment that he came into this world to be crucified to save you from your sins, from your sin and all the dread consequences. He died. He was lifted up on that cross, that pole, in order that you and I need not go to hell. [00:47:35]

If you believe this, if you believe that the Son of God came from heaven to earth to taste death for you, to die the death that you deserved, to bear the punishment of your sin in his own body on that cross on Calvary's Hill, I tell you in the name of God, you shall not perish. [00:48:38]

You are saved. Your sins are forgiven, not because you've done anything, but because he's done it all for you, and you simply, in your helplessness, look to him and cast yourself upon him and what he says. You believe it because he's saying it. You accept it. You rely upon it. You rest upon it. [00:49:44]

We have his own word for saying that as you do so, you are that moment healed from all the consequences of sin. You are pardoned. You are reconciled to God. You become a child of God and an heir of everlasting bliss. That's his own message to Nicodemus, not miracles, not teaching, but this salvation question. [00:50:09]

He has come about that, and his way of dealing with that and of solving the problem was to suffer the disgrace, the ignominy, the agony, and the suffering and the shame of a death upon a cross. But he has done it, and whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. [00:51:31]

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Transcript
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