The One Jesus Loves, Part 7: How To Get to Heaven from San Angelo

THE ONE JESUS LOVES – 7

The Gospel of John

(John 3:1 ESV) Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

(John 3:2 ESV) 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.”

(John 3:3 ESV) Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

(John 3:4 ESV) 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?”

(John 3:5-8 ESV) Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

(John 3:16-18 ESV) “For God so loved the world,[a] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

(John 7:48-51 ESV) Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.” 50 Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, 51 “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?”

(John 19:38-39 ESV) After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. 39 Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight.

1.    Outward obedience does not equal relationship.

2.    Jesus is not intimidated by doubt.

3.    Jesus didn’t force a response. He just interacted with Nicodemus in a way that increased his curiosity.

·      How do we respond to curious hearts?

4.    Jesus wasn’t too busy for Nicodemus.

5.    Personal interest demands a personal encounter.

·      When you have a personal encounter with Jesus, He will have a lasting impact on your life.

6.    Jesus died for all men.  

·      Do we, like Nicodemus, try to decide who qualifies?

·      If Jesus loved and died for everyone how can we eliminate anyone from our love?

7.    You must be born again.

(2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT) This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

(John 3:5 ESV) Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

(Ezekiel 36:25-26a ESV) I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.

(Ezekiel 36:27 ESV) And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules

(Titus 3:4-5 ESV) But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 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,

(John 3:6 ESV) That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

(John 3:7 ESV) Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

(Ephesians 2:8 ESV) For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

8.    Everyone needs Jesus.

(Acts 4:11-12 ESV) his Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

(John 3:11-15 ESV) Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

(Numbers 21:7-9 ESV) And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze[a] serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.