BOTTOM LINE: Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life.
INTRO
Story – The Delirium at King’s Island
Review: God. Our. Sins. Paying. Everyone. Life.
TENSION
Everyone who trusts in him (Jesus) alone has eternal life.
The last 4 weeks, we’ve talked about what God did. This week, it’s your move.
You trust your life to roller coaster engineers. Who do you trust with your eternal life? Nicodemus had to decide…
TRUTH
Scripture: John 3:1-18 (Narrate)
- Context: Written by John, Jesus’ best friend. Purpose was that YOU may believe and have life in his name (Jn. 20:30-31).
- “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
- Background: Jesus performing miracles, becoming a big deal.
- v.1-8 – Jesus told the gospel from a heavenly perspective, and Nicodemus (religious leader) didn’t’ get it.
- v. 9-15 – Jesus told the gospel from a Jewish/cultural perspective, and Nicodemus still didn’t get it.
- v. 16-18 – Finally, Jesus told the gospel from a childlike perspective, and, apparently, Nicodemus got it.
- Cf. 7:50-52 – Stuck his neck out for Jesus.
- Cf. 19:39-41 – Assisted Joseph of Arimathea in burying Jesus.
What sets the gospel apart from all religions?
- Whoever means whoever.
- Everyone needs Jesus.
- Review consequences of sin.
- Review good deeds & sin (religious people need him).
- Review Jesus paying the price for sin.
- Everyone can accept Jesus.
- Observation: If it’s not whoever in verse 16, it can’t be whoever in verse 18.
- “Pas” = all
- “Whoever believes” (4x in passage), is all over John.
- Jn. 3:36 – Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life…”
- Jn. 5:24 – “Whoever hears my word and believes in him who sent me has eternal life…”
- Jn. 11:25 – “Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live.”
- Jn. 14:12 – “Whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do.”
- Salvation is open to all.
- People Jesus extended salvation to:
- Religious people (Nicodemus) It’s possible to go to church your whole life, but not understand what it means to be saved (v.1,10).
- Written-off people (woman @ well); Young & old; Jews & Gentiles; Democrats & Republicans; Celebrated & overlooked; People we don’t like; People we’ve given up on; people who hate God
- YOU
- Jesus died for everyone.
- 1 Jn. 2:2 – “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”
- If whoever means whoever, we live in a target-rich environment.
- FISHING POLE | BEECH FORK
- “All my friends are Christians.” No. All your friends go to church.
- Believe means believe.
- It’s explosive. – Just believe!
- Pisteō – verbal form of “pistis” (faith), used 4x in passage, throughout John
- 3:16 – “Believes in him…”
- 3:18 – “Believes in him…”
- 3:18 – “Believes in the name of the only Son of God…”
- 3:36 – “Believes in the Son”
- How much belief is enough? How radical?
- Heb. 11:1 – “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
- It’s not about the size of your faith, but about the substance to which your faith is attached. CHAIR, CEREAL BOX.
- Matt. 17:21 – “If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.”
- 3:17 – “Saved through him”
- It’s not about trying, it’s about trusting.
- You don’t have to clean your act up.
- You don’t have to look over your shoulder.
- All it takes is a little faith in a big God. No more; no less.
- It’s exclusive. – One way ONE FOOT ON CHAIR
- Jesus +
- + Family: All Jews would enter the kingdom, so long as they did not apostatize or do extra-wicked acts.
- + Tradition: Pharisees believed following tradition of elders would lead to salvation.
- + Religion (Ch.4): Samaritans combined Judaism with other religious traditions.
- This is hard for irreligious people to get.
- Have we confused them?
- Conflicted messages in culture. (Hindu polytheism)
- This is hard for religious people to get.
- They thought he was a Rabbi by his teaching.
- They thought he was a prophet by his miracles.
- “Unless one is born again” = you’re not as insightful as you think you are.
We’re not calling people to behavior modification, but life transformation.
Keep your sin! JUST BELIEVE!
- Eternal means eternal.
- Everyone will spend eternity somewhere.
- Ainios – w/o end; never to cease; everlasting; we get the word “eon”; astronomy – a billion years
- Your body has an expiration date. Your soul is eternal.
- Hebrews 9:27 – “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes the judgment.”
- Judged on what?
- Everyone will spend eternity in one of two places.
- Perish – eternal death (3 kinds of death)
- 3:18 – “Condemned already” – default setting
- 3:36 – “Wrath of God remains on him…”
- Rev. 20:12-15 – Final judgment in hell pronounced (judged by deeds)
- Everlasting life
- Judged by Jesus (name in book)
- About this life
- New life (born again, new creation) [3:3,5]
- Saved from penalty of sin (future) & slavery to sin (now) [3:17]
- Eternal life w/Jesus in heaven (Rev.21) [15,16]
- Everyone has to decide where they spend eternity.
- You don’t have to go to heaven, and you don’t have to go to hell, but you can’t stay here.
- Summary: John 3:36
- No decision is a “no” decision.
- Everyone we meet will spend eternity somewhere!
APPLICATION
#1 – Advance the gospel.
Lift up Jesus! (3:15)
If this is true, nothing else matters.
- Share the video
- Keep serving w/us.
- Clothing Pantry launch
#2 – Believe in Jesus + nothing.
Maybe you’re like Nicodemus. You’ve been checking things out, but you have questions you’re afraid to ask in front of others.
Text YES to 304-208-8044.
#3 – Be certain you’re saved.
Know that you have a new life, even if you don’t feel like it.
Disarm Satan’s favorite attack.
If you’re saved, have you been baptized?
LANDING
As the music plays…
- Pray for people in your cause circle.
- Believe in Jesus + nothing. Text me.
- Find certainty of your salvation.
refuelwednesday 