Seeking Jesus First - Aug. 12, 2023
Salvation Message
What is the gospel of Jesus Christ?
In Jesus’s own words?
Jesus spoke to a famous Jewish rabbi/teacher by the name of Nicodemus about it in John 3.
“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 is 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.”” (John 3:1–21, NKJV)
He spoke more about it in Matthew 11.
“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matthew 11:12, NKJV)
“At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:25–30, NKJV)
Nicodemus recognized Jesus as a Rabbi from God because of the signs and miracles that Jesus did.
Jesus goes right to the point, “You must be born again if you want to see the kingdom of God.”
Rabbi Nic thought this was a weird concept and made a joke about it.
Jesus explained that being born again means that a person is born of water and spirit. Many people likely believe that this means that a person needs to make a true heartfelt public faith confession followed by water baptism and the infilling and baptism of The Holy Spirit. (Later, Scripture relates water to The Word of God. Ex. “that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,” (Ephesians 5:26, NKJV). SO, one can relate water baptism to embracing and being embraced by the word of God.)
Jesus goes on to explain that being born of The Spirit is what evokes a real change in a person.
Brother Nic is still incredulous, “How can this be?” Nic knows Scriptures and teaches Scriptures and can’t see the dots connected in The Law and prophets yet. So Jesus explains it like this, “As Moses lifted up the snake on a pole in the wilderness to heal the people, the son of man must be lifted up on the cross for the deliverance of all people.” People had to believe Moses and lift up their eyes and look at the snake on the pole instead of the snakes on the ground and put their trust in God’s word. When people look at Jesus in faith that God has sent Him for their salvation, they will receive eternal life - a never ending river of life, love and light from God Himself.
The Jesus states the amazing truth that God loves the world, His creation, so much that He gave His only begotten son as a sacrifice to put and end to the law of sin, condemnation, and death for all who would look On Jesus and believe.
In Matthew 11, we see that what everyone had been striving to attain with their own works and justification, practically warring in their efforts to receive, God allowed Jesus to freely give it to them.
Only believe. “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Believe in Jesus, Follow Jesus, And Love Like Jesus. It’s possible because we are BORN AGAIN OF HIS HOLY SPIRIT.