October 30, 2025 • 30 mins
What if your most sincere efforts could never open the door to God—and that’s the best news you’ll ever hear? We sit with Jesus and Nicodemus under the cover of night and watch the conversation that reframes salvation from the ground up: you must be born from above. Pastor Harry Behrens traces the thread from Ezekiel’s promise of cleansing and a new heart to the wind of the Spirit that moves freely, giving life where human resolve cannot.
We follow the arc of John 3 as Jesus points to being lifted up like the bronze serpent, showing that eternal life is received by looking to the crucified Savior. John 3:16 takes center stage, not as a slogan, but as the heartbeat of the gospel: God loved, God gave, God saves. We talk about why love magnifies God’s glory, how light exposes our works without crushing hope, and why assurance grows when salvation rests on God’s initiative rather than our performance. Along the way, we address hard questions about human responsibility, election, and fairness, and we highlight the surprising power of prayer when God is the One who opens blind eyes.
This is a steady, soul-anchoring exploration for anyone weary of self-reliance or confused about new birth, faith, and obedience. You’ll hear how Nicodemus’s path bends from secrecy to courage, why repentance and baptism flow from the Spirit’s work, and how to pray with confidence for friends who still love the dark. Listen, be encouraged, and join us in looking to the lifted Son who gives life from above. If this conversation helps you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review to help others find the message of grace and new life.
If The Takeaway has encouraged you, we’d love to hear how you found the podcast or how God is using it in your life. You can reach out anytime through the “Text Us” link in the episode description.
Please visit www.chosenbydesign.net for more information on Pastor Harry’s new book, "Chosen By Design - God’s Purpose for Your Life."
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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SPEAKER_00 (00:33):
From the opening verses of John's Gospel, we've
been invited to behold Jesus,the eternal word, who was with
God, who was God, and throughwhom all things were made.
We've seen him revealed as lifeand light, the one who dwelt
among us, full of grace andtruth.
But as Jesus sits across fromNicodemus under the cover of
night, the question comes intosharp focus.
(00:55):
What does it mean to truly knowGod?
In this episode, Pastor HarryBurns opens John chapter 3 and
helps us to see that salvationis not born of our effort, but
from above, by the Spirit of Godalone.
The challenge of unbelief, theassurance of grace, and the
evidence of eternal life are alllaid before us.
(01:15):
So here's Pastor Harry Barnswith today's teaching.
SPEAKER_01 (01:27):
Hello, and welcome again to the Takeaway.
I'm your host, Pastor HarryBarns.
And over the past few episodes,we've journeyed through John's
prologue and the early ministryof Jesus, seeing him revealed as
the eternal word, the truelight, the Lamb of God, and the
Son who makes the Father known.
And now as we turn to Johnchapter 3, we step into a
nighttime conversation betweenJesus and Nicodemus, a religious
(01:50):
leader searching for truth.
And in this conversation, Jesusmakes it clear, no one can see
the kingdom of God unless he isborn again, which literally
means born from above.
So let's begin by reading Johnchapter 3, verses 1 to 21.
As you listen, I want toencourage you to follow along in
(02:10):
your Bible or simply close youreyes and let the word of God
speak to your heart.
Notice how every verse points ustoward Jesus, the one who came
from above to give new life.
Let's begin.
Now there was a man of thePharisees named Nicodemus, a
ruler of the Jews.
This man came to Jesus by nightand said to him, Rabbi, we know
(02:33):
that you are a teacher come fromGod, for no one can do these
signs that you do unless God iswith him.
Nicodemus comes at night.
This is not just a detail oftime, but it's a symbol of
spiritual darkness.
And Jesus answered him, Truly,truly I say to you, unless one
(02:54):
is born again, he cannot see thekingdom of God.
Now the phrase here, born again,in Greek also means born from
above.
Jesus is pointing Nicodemus to aspiritual birth that only God
can give.
And Nicodemus said to him, Howcan a man be born when he is
old?
Can he enter a second time intohis mother's womb and be born?
(03:16):
And Nicodemus misunderstandswhat Jesus is saying here.
He thinks only in physicalterms.
And Jesus answered him, Truly,truly 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 fleshis flesh, and that which is born
of the spirit is spirit.
Water and the spirit.
(03:36):
This echoes Ezekiel chapter 36,where God promises to cleanse
his people and give them a newheart and spirit.
Jesus is saying, human birthgives human life, but only the
spirit gives spiritual life.
So he says, Do not marvel that Isaid to you, you must be born
again.
The wind blows where it wishes,and you hear its sound, but you
(03:58):
do not know where it comes fromor where it goes.
So it is with everyone who isborn of the Spirit.
Now here Jesus compares theSpirit to the wind.
And just as the wind issovereign and unstoppable, so
the Spirit moves freely.
New birth is God's work, notman's.
And Nicodemus said to him, Howcan these things be?
(04:19):
Jesus answered him, Are you theteacher of Israel, and yet you
do not understand these things?
So Nicodemus, a scholar of thelaw, had missed the heart of it,
that salvation is God's gift,not man's achievement.
Jesus says, Truly, truly, I sayto you, we speak of what we know
(04:40):
and bear witness to what we haveseen, but you do not receive our
testimony.
If I have told you earthlythings and you do not believe,
how can you believe if I tellyou heavenly things?
No one has ascended into heavenexcept he who descended from
heaven, the Son of Man.
So here Jesus points to hisunique authority.
(05:02):
He alone has come from heavenand has the authority to speak
of heavenly realities.
And as Moses lifted up theservant in the wilderness, so
must the Son of Man be liftedup, that whoever believes in him
may have eternal life.
This here looks back to Numberschapter twenty-one, where those
bitten by serpents lived whenthey looked at the bronze
(05:24):
serpent.
In the same way, eternal lifecomes by looking to Christ
crucified.
He continues on, for God soloved the world that he gave his
only son, that whoever believesin him should not perish but
have eternal life.
For God did not send his soninto the world to condemn the
world, but in order that theworld might be saved through
him.
(05:45):
Now, here is the gospel in itspurest form.
God's motive is love, his giftis his son, his purpose is
salvation.
John 3 16 has been called theheart of the Bible, the gospel
in a single sentence.
It is the most quoted andpreached verse in all of
Scripture because it summarizesthe entire redemptive story of
(06:08):
God.
In one breath, it declares hislove, his sacrifice, and his
promise of eternal life.
Generations of believers haveclung to this verse because it
speaks of the depth of God'slove and the simplicity of his
invitation.
To believe in his son and besaved.
God's love is seen so vividlyhere that many stop there and
(06:32):
miss the larger picture, thathis love flows out of and
ultimately magnifies his glory.
Glory does not lessen his love,it displays it in full.
This truth reminds us that thelove of God and the glory of God
are never in competition.
They are one beautiful realityrevealed in Jesus Christ.
(06:52):
And here lies the invitationthat makes this love personal.
Whoever believes in him will notperish, but have eternal life.
This single verse is thecornerstone of the Christian
faith.
It's the truth that has carriedthe gospel around the world for
centuries, from pulpits tostreet corners, whispered
(07:13):
prayers to mission fields.
It continues to proclaim thatGod loved, God gave, and God
saves.
And the verse that followscompletes the picture.
For God did not send his soninto the world to condemn the
world, but in order that theworld might be saved through
him.
The same love that moved theFather to send the Son also
(07:35):
moves the Son to seek and savethe lost.
Together, these verses reveal aSavior who came not to judge
first, but to redeem.
So that through him the worldmight find life.
Now, continuing in verse 18, weread, Whoever believes in him is
(07:55):
not condemned, but whoever doesnot believe is condemned
already, because he has notbelieved in this name of this
only Son of God.
And this is the judgment.
The light has come into theworld, and people love the
darkness rather than the light,because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wickedthings hates the light and does
(08:16):
not come to the light, lest hiswork should be exposed.
But whoever does what is truecomes to the light, so that it
may be clear, clearly seen thathis works have been carried out
in God.
So unbelief is not passive, itis active love of darkness.
Belief, by contrast, is evidenceof God's Spirit bringing us into
(08:39):
the light.
So let's take a closer look atwhat Jesus said together when we
look at Nicodemus.
Nicodemus, with all hisknowledge, was still blind to
the truth.
Like so many of us, he thoughthe understood, yet missed what
only the Spirit can reveal.
Human birth produces human life,but spiritual birth must come
(09:02):
from above.
John already told us in chapterone that salvation is not of
blood, nor of the will of theflesh, nor of the will of man,
but of God.
We are powerless to bring aboutthis new birth.
It is a divine work of grace.
The problem of fleshly birthexposes our inability.
But here's the good news theanswer to unbelief is found
(09:26):
entirely in Christ.
Just as Moses lifted up theserpent in the wilderness, so
Jesus would be lifted up on thecross.
Eternal life is not earned byeffort or religion, but received
through faith.
And this is a faith given by theSpirit of God Himself.
And finally, we see the resultsof unbelief.
(09:48):
Jesus makes it clear that thosewho reject him remain condemned,
enslaved to darkness, andopposed to truth.
It's a sobering truth, yet onethat magnifies the grace of God
who brings light into ourdarkness.
Those who believe are set free,brought into the light, and made
new by the power of the Spirit.
Picture with me a courtroom.
(10:10):
Man stands on trial, presentinghis case that he has some
ability within himself to reachGod.
The defense argues thatprovenient grace gives man the
power to choose.
Now, for those unfamiliar withthe term, provenient grace is
the idea that God gives everysingle person just enough grace
to be able to choose or rejecthim on their own.
(10:33):
It teaches that man's will,though weakened, can still
respond to God apart from beingmade new.
But the evidence is opened andscripture testifies against us.
Ephesians 2 says we were bynature children of wrath.
Romans 3 declares, none isrighteous.
(10:53):
No, not one.
No one understands, no one seeksfor God.
If provenient grace were true,man would never be fully under
wrath.
Yet the Bible says we are.
If provenient grace were true,man would always retain the
ability to seek God.
Yet the Bible says no one does.
(11:14):
So, Your Honor, the casecollapses.
Every attempt of man to justifyhimself through law, works, or
intellect fails under the weightof God's holiness.
There is no defense left.
The only hope we have is thisthat God Himself intervenes,
that He gives grace from above,that He causes us to be born
(11:36):
again, and here mercy meetsjustice, because in the very
place where judgment isdeserved, God pours out His
compassion.
The gavel that should fall on usfalls instead on His Son, so
that grace and mercy triumphtogether.
Jesus Christ stands at thecenter of all hope.
(11:58):
He is not only the judge whodeclares mercy, but the Savior
who took our place, bore oursin, and rose to give us new
life.
As John chapter 4, verse 42later says, We know that this is
indeed the Savior of the world.
And that is exactly what he hasdone.
(12:19):
The judge himself has declaredmercy.
He gave his son, he lifted himup on the cross, he poured out
his spirit to bring dead heartsto life.
The result for those whobelieve, not condemnation, but
joy, not wrath, but eternallife, not fear, but assurance.
And so we rest today in thistruth.
(12:41):
Salvation is not of us, it is ofhim.
And because he finished thework, we can rest secure.
As Hebrews 10 14 reminds us, forby a single offering he has
perfected for all time those whoare being sanctified.
Salvation, then, must be seen asthe total work of God from
(13:04):
beginning to end.
Scripture teaches that even thecommand to repent and believe is
not proof of human ability.
It is a divine summons thatreveals our inability and points
us to the one who alone makesfaith possible.
Romans chapter 1, verses 19 to21 reminds us that what we can
(13:24):
what can be known about God isplain to all, for he has shown
it in creation.
Yet mankind, through seeing hiseternal power and divine nature,
did not honor him as God or givethanks to him.
Instead, we suppress the truthin unrighteousness.
Romans 2 14 to 15 tells us thateven those without the written
(13:47):
law show that the work of thelaw is written on their hearts,
while their conscience alsobears witness.
But rather than follow thatinner compass, we rebel to
fulfill our own desires.
Ephesians 2 1 declares, you weredead in the trespasses and sins
in which you once walked.
This is dead, not wounded,unable, not willing.
(14:09):
You we could not respond unlessGod Himself first acted.
So why the command to repent andbelieve?
Because it reveals what wecannot do, so that we will see
the glory of the one who can.
God's command exposes sin.
His grace transforms the sinner.
(14:30):
Romans 3 20 says, Though throughthe law comes knowledge of sin.
But in the very next verses,Paul writes, But now the
righteousness of God has beenmanifested apart from the law,
the righteousness of God throughfaith in Jesus Christ for all
who believe.
The command reveals sin, graceprovides the remedy.
(14:52):
All of it displays his glory.
He is both the author andperfecter of our faith, Hebrews
12.2.
Our continued struggle with sinafter salvation is a constant
reminder that we neither, thatneither saved ourselves, nor
(15:15):
could we ever keep ourselves byour own choice.
If even a small portion of oursalvation depended on us, our
pride would boast in oursupposed wisdom and
righteousness.
But Scripture silences everyboast.
Ephesians 2, 8 to 9 reminds us,for by grace you have been saved
through faith.
And this is not your own doing.
(15:38):
It is the gift of God, not aresult of works, so that no one
may boast.
Therefore, as it is written, letthe one who boasts boast in the
(16:02):
Lord.
This is the beauty of God'sdesign.
His command reveals sin, hisgrace redeems, and his glory is
the purpose of it all.
Every other framework leaves manwith something to claim.
Only this one leaves us fallingon our knees before a sovereign
(16:22):
savior, worshiping the God whoboth commands and completes our
salvation.
Take a moment and let that truthsettle deep into your heart.
Every time you read Scripture,whether it's the law, the
Psalms, the prophets, or theGospels, remember this
framework.
His command reveals sin.
(16:46):
His grace redeems.
And his glory is the purpose ofit all.
This is the lens through whichwe understand all of God's word.
When you read his commands, seethem as mirrors that reveal your
need for grace.
When you encounter his grace,let it point you upward to his
(17:06):
glory.
And when you behold his glory,worship him with a heart that
rests in what he has alreadydone.
This is how the whole ofScripture comes alive and leads
us back to Jesus.
The one who fulfills everycommand, offers every grace, and
reveals all glory.
(17:28):
Now, Nicodemus could not seethese truths for the same reason
none of us can until God opensour eyes.
Though he was a teacher ofIsrael, his understanding was
darkened.
Like every man and woman born inthe flesh, he needed the Spirit
to bring light into the darknessof his heart.
Only when God breathes life intoa dead soul does it awaken to
(17:50):
the wickedness within and theglory of the Savior.
You may ask, What can I do thenif I have no power to do
anything?
The answer is both simple andprofound.
You are responsible.
Scripture makes that clear.
You must repent.
But because you must does notmean you can unless God grants
(18:14):
you the ability.
If you feel conviction, if yousense your need for forgiveness,
that is already the Spirit'swork in you.
Respond to Him.
Repent.
If you are willing, confess yoursins, turn from your wicked
ways, and follow Jesus.
That willingness is the firstevidence that you have been born
(18:34):
from above.
For as 1 Corinthians 12.3 says,no one can say Jesus is Lord
except in the Holy Spirit.
Then to confirm that you havebeen born again of God's Spirit,
obey the next command thatfollows the first.
Repent and be baptized.
Acts 2.38.
The first repentance is whathappens in you.
(18:56):
The second baptism is whathappens because of what God has
done in you.
Jesus said in Luke 6.46, Why doyou call me Lord, Lord and not
do what I tell you?
The evidence of genuine faith isobedience.
Baptism becomes that firstoutward step of obedience,
assuring your heart that God hastruly begun his work in you.
(19:19):
There is no need to delay orhesitate.
If you believe and call himLord, then obey him and be
baptized.
After that, spend the rest ofyour life following him,
imitating him, and trusting himto complete what he began in
you.
Philippians 1 6.
So where does this leave thosewho don't believe?
(19:40):
Do they have a choice?
Absolutely they do.
They have a choice, but again,it's not about merely having the
choice.
It's about the ability to makeit.
Some will say, well, that's notfair.
If not all are saved, then Godmust not love all.
So we invent concepts like freewill to picture God as the
(20:02):
loving God we imagine in ourminds, hoping to keep him from
being responsible for sendinganyone to hell.
But Scripture makes clear thatGod does not desire that any
should perish, 2 Peter 3.9.
He doesn't send people to hellbecause he doesn't want to save
all.3 says, we were by childrenby nature children of wrath,
(20:26):
like the rest of mankind.
All our sins were under hiswrath.
No one is spared from it.
We all deserve hell.
We don't want a fair God.
We want a merciful, graciousone.
If he were fair, we would allget wrath.
But because of the great lovewith which he loved us, he sent
his son so that whoever believeswould be saved.
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Ephesians 2, 4 to 5.
All, everyone, all have thechoice before them, but only the
elect believe.
Romans 8, 29 to 30 says, Forthose whom he foreknew, he also
predestined, to be conformed tothe image of his son.
And those whom he predestined,he also called, and those whom
(21:11):
he called, he also justified,and those whom he justified, he
also glorified.
God calls, predestines, andchooses before the foundation of
the world, Ephesians 1, 4 to 6.
So the big question becomes (21:22):
if Jesus died for all, why aren't
all saved?
If God loves all, why doesn't hesave all?
Does that mean God lacks theability?
No.
God indeed has the ability.
God indeed loves the world.
But love and election operateaccording to his divine wisdom,
not our limited reasoning.
(21:44):
This is not a matter of God'sinability, but of his will being
fulfilled perfectly according tohis purpose and for his glory.
Whether one argues for humanchoice or divine election, both
positions still face the samereality.
Not all are saved.
The problem arises when wedefine God's love from human
(22:05):
terms and reshape him into ourown image.
Yes, God is love, but hisultimate motive is not love
alone.
It is his glory.
God desires all to be saved, buthis will, his sovereign purpose,
places his own glory first.
Look at Romans 9, 22 to 23.
(22:26):
What if God, desiring to showhis wrath and to make known his
power, has endured with muchpatience vessels of wrath
prepared for destruction, inorder to make known the riches
of his glory for vessels ofmercy, which he has prepared
beforehand for glory, even uswhom he has called, not from the
(22:49):
Jews only, but also from theGentiles.
This offends our natural man,centered thinking, because we
start with ourselves instead ofwith God.
Isaiah 43:7 declares that wewere created for his glory.
God's love for his glory is notprideful or self-centered.
It is holy, perfect, and true.
(23:11):
Out of his love for himself, hecreated a people to reflect that
glory.
Some vessels display his mercy,others his justice, and together
they reveal the fullness of hisdivine nature.
Yet our sinful hearts resistthis truth.
We constantly react or recreateGod into what we want him to be
(23:33):
instead of submitting to who heis.
But when we yield to his willand live for his glory, we
finally enter into the fullnessof his joy because we are living
as we were created to live,reflecting his glory through
worship and spirit and truth.
John 4, 23 to 24.
This gospel offends many.
(23:54):
Not because it isn't true, butbecause it is.
It requires us to rejecteverything about ourselves and
accept everything about him.
Deep down, humanity cravesautonomy, the right to choose
whether we love God or sin.
But scripture is clear.
By nature we love sin, John3.19.
(24:17):
We only love God because hefirst loved us, 1 John 4.19.
He made it possible for us tolove him in the first place.
At the heart of it all is ourrejection of God and the grace
revealed in the face of JesusChrist that saves us for his
glory.
He shows us his greatnessbecause there is nothing better
(24:38):
he could give than himself.
Until you realize that he isyour everything, you will
struggle to find peace.
Only when you see that you werecreated for his glory and saved
by his grace will your heartfinally rest in the one who is
both just and the justifier ofall who believe.
Romans 3 26.
And that leads to anotherquestion many people ask that
(25:00):
often weighs heavily on ourhearts.
What about those we love who donot yet believe?
Even those who affirm humanfreedom still pray for God to
save the lost.
Because deep down we knowsalvation is his work.
If our choice alone could securesalvation, prayer would be
(25:22):
powerless.
Persuasion would be our onlytool.
But since God is sovereign andable to change hearts, prayer
becomes the most powerful act oflove we can offer.
It's not our convincing thatsaves, but Christ in us who
proclaims his gospel through ourwords, our actions, and love.
So keep praying for those youlove.
(25:43):
Trust that the same Spirit whobrought you from death to life
can open their eyes as well.
Yes, God has chosen those whowill be saved from before time
began, as Ephesians 1.4 says,even as he chose us in him
before the foundations of theworld, that we should be holy
and blameless before him.
But we do not know who they are.
(26:05):
What we do know is that he alonesaves and graciously allows us
to participate in his redeemingwork.
And he invites us into thatprocess, both to receive the
gift and to take part in sharingit.
He does not exclude us from hiswork on either end.
Instead, he comes alongside usso that both salvation and
(26:28):
proclamation are possible in andthrough us because he lives in
us.
It doesn't get any morebeautiful than that.
As 2 Peter 1, 3 to 4 reminds us,his divine power is granted to
us all things that pertain tolife and godliness, so that
through them you may becomepartakers of the divine nature.
(26:48):
The fullness of his deity dwellsin us through Christ, making
this partnership possible.
Think of Nicodemus one moretime.
He came to Jesus by night,confused and searching, yet
later we find him stepping intothe light to help prepare Jesus'
body for burial in John 19 39.
Somewhere between those twomoments, his eyes were opened.
(27:10):
And that's the same journey Godoffers each of us.
From darkness to light, fromconfusion to clarity, from
striving to rest, the Spiritmoves where he wills.
And when he breathes new life,the heart that once resisted now
rejoices.
So let the story of Nicodemusremind you: no matter how long
(27:30):
you've walked in the dark, thelight of the world still calls
you to come and believe.
Now, before we go, I want tospeak to those who may feel this
message stirring something deepinside.
If you sense God drawing you, ifyou have questions, need prayer,
or simply want someone to talkwith, please reach out using the
(27:53):
text us link in the episodedescription.
When you write, please includeyour first name and an email
address or phone number so wecan contact you and follow up
personally.
We'd love to pray with you andhelp you take your next steps in
faith.
You don't have to walk thisjourney alone.
Let us stand with you and pointyou to the one who gives life
(28:14):
from above.
Let's pray.
Father God, thank you so muchfor your word.
Thank you for Jesus, who is yourword, who became flesh, so that
we can see him and see you inhim.
That if we know him, we knowyou, God, that we can understand
the grace that you poured outfor us.
(28:34):
That we didn't do anything ofourselves, God.
It was all you, and it's all foryour glory, and that you are
inviting us into that.
Our prayers are powerful.
What if people aren't beingsaved because we're not praying?
You invite us into activeparticipation to pray that the
lost may be saved.
You are calling the harvestersinto the harvest.
(28:56):
It starts with our prayers, God.
I pray for our listeners todaythat they would hear this truth,
that they would look over thesescriptures and see this for
themselves.
They would get on their handsand knees and pray and beg to
you, God, to save the lost, toredeem us, sanctify us, and help
us to walk through our sinfulnatures, that we may be holy as
you are, holy God.
(29:16):
Help us do what only you can do,Father.
All for your glory, that we mayenjoy you forever and ever in
Jesus' name.
Amen.
Now, as always, I want to thankyou for joining us today.
And I hope this episode hashelped you take a step closer in
your relationship with Jesus andthat you now have a deeper
understanding of just how muchGod loves you and wants you to
(29:37):
know Him.
It's our desire that thisministry be a tool to reach the
loss, to pray with thesearching, and to equip the
saints for a life that bringsglory to God.
In our next episode, we'llcontinue in John chapter 3 as
John the Baptist reminds us, hemust increase, but I must
decrease.
We'll explore what it looks liketo live a life that points away
from self and toward Christ.
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Until then, God bless, and we'llsee you next time on The
Takeaway.
From the opening verses of John's Gospel, we've
been invited to behold Jesus,the eternal word, who was with
God, who was God, and throughwhom all things were made.
We've seen him revealed as lifeand light, the one who dwelt
among us, full of grace andtruth.
But as Jesus sits across fromNicodemus under the cover of
night, the question comes intosharp focus.
(00:55):
What does it mean to truly knowGod?
In this episode, Pastor HarryBurns opens John chapter 3 and
helps us to see that salvationis not born of our effort, but
from above, by the Spirit of Godalone.
The challenge of unbelief, theassurance of grace, and the
evidence of eternal life are alllaid before us.
(01:15):
So here's Pastor Harry Barnswith today's teaching.
SPEAKER_01 (01:27):
Hello, and welcome again to the Takeaway.
I'm your host, Pastor HarryBarns.
And over the past few episodes,we've journeyed through John's
prologue and the early ministryof Jesus, seeing him revealed as
the eternal word, the truelight, the Lamb of God, and the
Son who makes the Father known.
And now as we turn to Johnchapter 3, we step into a
nighttime conversation betweenJesus and Nicodemus, a religious
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leader searching for truth.
And in this conversation, Jesusmakes it clear, no one can see
the kingdom of God unless he isborn again, which literally
means born from above.
So let's begin by reading Johnchapter 3, verses 1 to 21.
As you listen, I want toencourage you to follow along in
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your Bible or simply close youreyes and let the word of God
speak to your heart.
Notice how every verse points ustoward Jesus, the one who came
from above to give new life.
Let's begin.
Now there was a man of thePharisees named Nicodemus, a
ruler of the Jews.
This man came to Jesus by nightand said to him, Rabbi, we know
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that you are a teacher come fromGod, for no one can do these
signs that you do unless God iswith him.
Nicodemus comes at night.
This is not just a detail oftime, but it's a symbol of
spiritual darkness.
And Jesus answered him, Truly,truly I say to you, unless one
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is born again, he cannot see thekingdom of God.
Now the phrase here, born again,in Greek also means born from
above.
Jesus is pointing Nicodemus to aspiritual birth that only God
can give.
And Nicodemus said to him, Howcan a man be born when he is
old?
Can he enter a second time intohis mother's womb and be born?
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And Nicodemus misunderstandswhat Jesus is saying here.
He thinks only in physicalterms.
And Jesus answered him, Truly,truly 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 fleshis flesh, and that which is born
of the spirit is spirit.
Water and the spirit.
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This echoes Ezekiel chapter 36,where God promises to cleanse
his people and give them a newheart and spirit.
Jesus is saying, human birthgives human life, but only the
spirit gives spiritual life.
So he says, Do not marvel that Isaid to you, you must be born
again.
The wind blows where it wishes,and you hear its sound, but you
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do not know where it comes fromor where it goes.
So it is with everyone who isborn of the Spirit.
Now here Jesus compares theSpirit to the wind.
And just as the wind issovereign and unstoppable, so
the Spirit moves freely.
New birth is God's work, notman's.
And Nicodemus said to him, Howcan these things be?
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Jesus answered him, Are you theteacher of Israel, and yet you
do not understand these things?
So Nicodemus, a scholar of thelaw, had missed the heart of it,
that salvation is God's gift,not man's achievement.
Jesus says, Truly, truly, I sayto you, we speak of what we know
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and bear witness to what we haveseen, but you do not receive our
testimony.
If I have told you earthlythings and you do not believe,
how can you believe if I tellyou heavenly things?
No one has ascended into heavenexcept he who descended from
heaven, the Son of Man.
So here Jesus points to hisunique authority.
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He alone has come from heavenand has the authority to speak
of heavenly realities.
And as Moses lifted up theservant in the wilderness, so
must the Son of Man be liftedup, that whoever believes in him
may have eternal life.
This here looks back to Numberschapter twenty-one, where those
bitten by serpents lived whenthey looked at the bronze
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serpent.
In the same way, eternal lifecomes by looking to Christ
crucified.
He continues on, for God soloved the world that he gave his
only son, that whoever believesin him should not perish but
have eternal life.
For God did not send his soninto the world to condemn the
world, but in order that theworld might be saved through
him.
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Now, here is the gospel in itspurest form.
God's motive is love, his giftis his son, his purpose is
salvation.
John 3 16 has been called theheart of the Bible, the gospel
in a single sentence.
It is the most quoted andpreached verse in all of
Scripture because it summarizesthe entire redemptive story of
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God.
In one breath, it declares hislove, his sacrifice, and his
promise of eternal life.
Generations of believers haveclung to this verse because it
speaks of the depth of God'slove and the simplicity of his
invitation.
To believe in his son and besaved.
God's love is seen so vividlyhere that many stop there and
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miss the larger picture, thathis love flows out of and
ultimately magnifies his glory.
Glory does not lessen his love,it displays it in full.
This truth reminds us that thelove of God and the glory of God
are never in competition.
They are one beautiful realityrevealed in Jesus Christ.
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And here lies the invitationthat makes this love personal.
Whoever believes in him will notperish, but have eternal life.
This single verse is thecornerstone of the Christian
faith.
It's the truth that has carriedthe gospel around the world for
centuries, from pulpits tostreet corners, whispered
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prayers to mission fields.
It continues to proclaim thatGod loved, God gave, and God
saves.
And the verse that followscompletes the picture.
For God did not send his soninto the world to condemn the
world, but in order that theworld might be saved through
him.
The same love that moved theFather to send the Son also
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moves the Son to seek and savethe lost.
Together, these verses reveal aSavior who came not to judge
first, but to redeem.
So that through him the worldmight find life.
Now, continuing in verse 18, weread, Whoever believes in him is
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not condemned, but whoever doesnot believe is condemned
already, because he has notbelieved in this name of this
only Son of God.
And this is the judgment.
The light has come into theworld, and people love the
darkness rather than the light,because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wickedthings hates the light and does
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not come to the light, lest hiswork should be exposed.
But whoever does what is truecomes to the light, so that it
may be clear, clearly seen thathis works have been carried out
in God.
So unbelief is not passive, itis active love of darkness.
Belief, by contrast, is evidenceof God's Spirit bringing us into
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the light.
So let's take a closer look atwhat Jesus said together when we
look at Nicodemus.
Nicodemus, with all hisknowledge, was still blind to
the truth.
Like so many of us, he thoughthe understood, yet missed what
only the Spirit can reveal.
Human birth produces human life,but spiritual birth must come
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from above.
John already told us in chapterone that salvation is not of
blood, nor of the will of theflesh, nor of the will of man,
but of God.
We are powerless to bring aboutthis new birth.
It is a divine work of grace.
The problem of fleshly birthexposes our inability.
But here's the good news theanswer to unbelief is found
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entirely in Christ.
Just as Moses lifted up theserpent in the wilderness, so
Jesus would be lifted up on thecross.
Eternal life is not earned byeffort or religion, but received
through faith.
And this is a faith given by theSpirit of God Himself.
And finally, we see the resultsof unbelief.
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Jesus makes it clear that thosewho reject him remain condemned,
enslaved to darkness, andopposed to truth.
It's a sobering truth, yet onethat magnifies the grace of God
who brings light into ourdarkness.
Those who believe are set free,brought into the light, and made
new by the power of the Spirit.
Picture with me a courtroom.
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Man stands on trial, presentinghis case that he has some
ability within himself to reachGod.
The defense argues thatprovenient grace gives man the
power to choose.
Now, for those unfamiliar withthe term, provenient grace is
the idea that God gives everysingle person just enough grace
to be able to choose or rejecthim on their own.
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It teaches that man's will,though weakened, can still
respond to God apart from beingmade new.
But the evidence is opened andscripture testifies against us.
Ephesians 2 says we were bynature children of wrath.
Romans 3 declares, none isrighteous.
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No, not one.
No one understands, no one seeksfor God.
If provenient grace were true,man would never be fully under
wrath.
Yet the Bible says we are.
If provenient grace were true,man would always retain the
ability to seek God.
Yet the Bible says no one does.
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So, Your Honor, the casecollapses.
Every attempt of man to justifyhimself through law, works, or
intellect fails under the weightof God's holiness.
There is no defense left.
The only hope we have is thisthat God Himself intervenes,
that He gives grace from above,that He causes us to be born
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again, and here mercy meetsjustice, because in the very
place where judgment isdeserved, God pours out His
compassion.
The gavel that should fall on usfalls instead on His Son, so
that grace and mercy triumphtogether.
Jesus Christ stands at thecenter of all hope.
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He is not only the judge whodeclares mercy, but the Savior
who took our place, bore oursin, and rose to give us new
life.
As John chapter 4, verse 42later says, We know that this is
indeed the Savior of the world.
And that is exactly what he hasdone.
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The judge himself has declaredmercy.
He gave his son, he lifted himup on the cross, he poured out
his spirit to bring dead heartsto life.
The result for those whobelieve, not condemnation, but
joy, not wrath, but eternallife, not fear, but assurance.
And so we rest today in thistruth.
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Salvation is not of us, it is ofhim.
And because he finished thework, we can rest secure.
As Hebrews 10 14 reminds us, forby a single offering he has
perfected for all time those whoare being sanctified.
Salvation, then, must be seen asthe total work of God from
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beginning to end.
Scripture teaches that even thecommand to repent and believe is
not proof of human ability.
It is a divine summons thatreveals our inability and points
us to the one who alone makesfaith possible.
Romans chapter 1, verses 19 to21 reminds us that what we can
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what can be known about God isplain to all, for he has shown
it in creation.
Yet mankind, through seeing hiseternal power and divine nature,
did not honor him as God or givethanks to him.
Instead, we suppress the truthin unrighteousness.
Romans 2 14 to 15 tells us thateven those without the written
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law show that the work of thelaw is written on their hearts,
while their conscience alsobears witness.
But rather than follow thatinner compass, we rebel to
fulfill our own desires.
Ephesians 2 1 declares, you weredead in the trespasses and sins
in which you once walked.
This is dead, not wounded,unable, not willing.
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You we could not respond unlessGod Himself first acted.
So why the command to repent andbelieve?
Because it reveals what wecannot do, so that we will see
the glory of the one who can.
God's command exposes sin.
His grace transforms the sinner.
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Romans 3 20 says, Though throughthe law comes knowledge of sin.
But in the very next verses,Paul writes, But now the
righteousness of God has beenmanifested apart from the law,
the righteousness of God throughfaith in Jesus Christ for all
who believe.
The command reveals sin, graceprovides the remedy.
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All of it displays his glory.
He is both the author andperfecter of our faith, Hebrews
12.2.
Our continued struggle with sinafter salvation is a constant
reminder that we neither, thatneither saved ourselves, nor
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could we ever keep ourselves byour own choice.
If even a small portion of oursalvation depended on us, our
pride would boast in oursupposed wisdom and
righteousness.
But Scripture silences everyboast.
Ephesians 2, 8 to 9 reminds us,for by grace you have been saved
through faith.
And this is not your own doing.
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It is the gift of God, not aresult of works, so that no one
may boast.
Therefore, as it is written, letthe one who boasts boast in the
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Lord.
This is the beauty of God'sdesign.
His command reveals sin, hisgrace redeems, and his glory is
the purpose of it all.
Every other framework leaves manwith something to claim.
Only this one leaves us fallingon our knees before a sovereign
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savior, worshiping the God whoboth commands and completes our
salvation.
Take a moment and let that truthsettle deep into your heart.
Every time you read Scripture,whether it's the law, the
Psalms, the prophets, or theGospels, remember this
framework.
His command reveals sin.
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His grace redeems.
And his glory is the purpose ofit all.
This is the lens through whichwe understand all of God's word.
When you read his commands, seethem as mirrors that reveal your
need for grace.
When you encounter his grace,let it point you upward to his
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glory.
And when you behold his glory,worship him with a heart that
rests in what he has alreadydone.
This is how the whole ofScripture comes alive and leads
us back to Jesus.
The one who fulfills everycommand, offers every grace, and
reveals all glory.
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Now, Nicodemus could not seethese truths for the same reason
none of us can until God opensour eyes.
Though he was a teacher ofIsrael, his understanding was
darkened.
Like every man and woman born inthe flesh, he needed the Spirit
to bring light into the darknessof his heart.
Only when God breathes life intoa dead soul does it awaken to
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the wickedness within and theglory of the Savior.
You may ask, What can I do thenif I have no power to do
anything?
The answer is both simple andprofound.
You are responsible.
Scripture makes that clear.
You must repent.
But because you must does notmean you can unless God grants
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you the ability.
If you feel conviction, if yousense your need for forgiveness,
that is already the Spirit'swork in you.
Respond to Him.
Repent.
If you are willing, confess yoursins, turn from your wicked
ways, and follow Jesus.
That willingness is the firstevidence that you have been born
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from above.
For as 1 Corinthians 12.3 says,no one can say Jesus is Lord
except in the Holy Spirit.
Then to confirm that you havebeen born again of God's Spirit,
obey the next command thatfollows the first.
Repent and be baptized.
Acts 2.38.
The first repentance is whathappens in you.
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The second baptism is whathappens because of what God has
done in you.
Jesus said in Luke 6.46, Why doyou call me Lord, Lord and not
do what I tell you?
The evidence of genuine faith isobedience.
Baptism becomes that firstoutward step of obedience,
assuring your heart that God hastruly begun his work in you.
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There is no need to delay orhesitate.
If you believe and call himLord, then obey him and be
baptized.
After that, spend the rest ofyour life following him,
imitating him, and trusting himto complete what he began in
you.
Philippians 1 6.
So where does this leave thosewho don't believe?
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Do they have a choice?
Absolutely they do.
They have a choice, but again,it's not about merely having the
choice.
It's about the ability to makeit.
Some will say, well, that's notfair.
If not all are saved, then Godmust not love all.
So we invent concepts like freewill to picture God as the
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loving God we imagine in ourminds, hoping to keep him from
being responsible for sendinganyone to hell.
But Scripture makes clear thatGod does not desire that any
should perish, 2 Peter 3.9.
He doesn't send people to hellbecause he doesn't want to save
all.3 says, we were by childrenby nature children of wrath,
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like the rest of mankind.
All our sins were under hiswrath.
No one is spared from it.
We all deserve hell.
We don't want a fair God.
We want a merciful, graciousone.
If he were fair, we would allget wrath.
But because of the great lovewith which he loved us, he sent
his son so that whoever believeswould be saved.
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Ephesians 2, 4 to 5.
All, everyone, all have thechoice before them, but only the
elect believe.
Romans 8, 29 to 30 says, Forthose whom he foreknew, he also
predestined, to be conformed tothe image of his son.
And those whom he predestined,he also called, and those whom
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he called, he also justified,and those whom he justified, he
also glorified.
God calls, predestines, andchooses before the foundation of
the world, Ephesians 1, 4 to 6.
So the big question becomes (21:22):
if Jesus died for all, why aren't
all saved?
If God loves all, why doesn't hesave all?
Does that mean God lacks theability?
No.
God indeed has the ability.
God indeed loves the world.
But love and election operateaccording to his divine wisdom,
not our limited reasoning.
(21:44):
This is not a matter of God'sinability, but of his will being
fulfilled perfectly according tohis purpose and for his glory.
Whether one argues for humanchoice or divine election, both
positions still face the samereality.
Not all are saved.
The problem arises when wedefine God's love from human
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terms and reshape him into ourown image.
Yes, God is love, but hisultimate motive is not love
alone.
It is his glory.
God desires all to be saved, buthis will, his sovereign purpose,
places his own glory first.
Look at Romans 9, 22 to 23.
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What if God, desiring to showhis wrath and to make known his
power, has endured with muchpatience vessels of wrath
prepared for destruction, inorder to make known the riches
of his glory for vessels ofmercy, which he has prepared
beforehand for glory, even uswhom he has called, not from the
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Jews only, but also from theGentiles.
This offends our natural man,centered thinking, because we
start with ourselves instead ofwith God.
Isaiah 43:7 declares that wewere created for his glory.
God's love for his glory is notprideful or self-centered.
It is holy, perfect, and true.
(23:11):
Out of his love for himself, hecreated a people to reflect that
glory.
Some vessels display his mercy,others his justice, and together
they reveal the fullness of hisdivine nature.
Yet our sinful hearts resistthis truth.
We constantly react or recreateGod into what we want him to be
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instead of submitting to who heis.
But when we yield to his willand live for his glory, we
finally enter into the fullnessof his joy because we are living
as we were created to live,reflecting his glory through
worship and spirit and truth.
John 4, 23 to 24.
This gospel offends many.
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Not because it isn't true, butbecause it is.
It requires us to rejecteverything about ourselves and
accept everything about him.
Deep down, humanity cravesautonomy, the right to choose
whether we love God or sin.
But scripture is clear.
By nature we love sin, John3.19.
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We only love God because hefirst loved us, 1 John 4.19.
He made it possible for us tolove him in the first place.
At the heart of it all is ourrejection of God and the grace
revealed in the face of JesusChrist that saves us for his
glory.
He shows us his greatnessbecause there is nothing better
(24:38):
he could give than himself.
Until you realize that he isyour everything, you will
struggle to find peace.
Only when you see that you werecreated for his glory and saved
by his grace will your heartfinally rest in the one who is
both just and the justifier ofall who believe.
Romans 3 26.
And that leads to anotherquestion many people ask that
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often weighs heavily on ourhearts.
What about those we love who donot yet believe?
Even those who affirm humanfreedom still pray for God to
save the lost.
Because deep down we knowsalvation is his work.
If our choice alone could securesalvation, prayer would be
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powerless.
Persuasion would be our onlytool.
But since God is sovereign andable to change hearts, prayer
becomes the most powerful act oflove we can offer.
It's not our convincing thatsaves, but Christ in us who
proclaims his gospel through ourwords, our actions, and love.
So keep praying for those youlove.
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Trust that the same Spirit whobrought you from death to life
can open their eyes as well.
Yes, God has chosen those whowill be saved from before time
began, as Ephesians 1.4 says,even as he chose us in him
before the foundations of theworld, that we should be holy
and blameless before him.
But we do not know who they are.
(26:05):
What we do know is that he alonesaves and graciously allows us
to participate in his redeemingwork.
And he invites us into thatprocess, both to receive the
gift and to take part in sharingit.
He does not exclude us from hiswork on either end.
Instead, he comes alongside usso that both salvation and
(26:28):
proclamation are possible in andthrough us because he lives in
us.
It doesn't get any morebeautiful than that.
As 2 Peter 1, 3 to 4 reminds us,his divine power is granted to
us all things that pertain tolife and godliness, so that
through them you may becomepartakers of the divine nature.
(26:48):
The fullness of his deity dwellsin us through Christ, making
this partnership possible.
Think of Nicodemus one moretime.
He came to Jesus by night,confused and searching, yet
later we find him stepping intothe light to help prepare Jesus'
body for burial in John 19 39.
Somewhere between those twomoments, his eyes were opened.
(27:10):
And that's the same journey Godoffers each of us.
From darkness to light, fromconfusion to clarity, from
striving to rest, the Spiritmoves where he wills.
And when he breathes new life,the heart that once resisted now
rejoices.
So let the story of Nicodemusremind you: no matter how long
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you've walked in the dark, thelight of the world still calls
you to come and believe.
Now, before we go, I want tospeak to those who may feel this
message stirring something deepinside.
If you sense God drawing you, ifyou have questions, need prayer,
or simply want someone to talkwith, please reach out using the
(27:53):
text us link in the episodedescription.
When you write, please includeyour first name and an email
address or phone number so wecan contact you and follow up
personally.
We'd love to pray with you andhelp you take your next steps in
faith.
You don't have to walk thisjourney alone.
Let us stand with you and pointyou to the one who gives life
(28:14):
from above.
Let's pray.
Father God, thank you so muchfor your word.
Thank you for Jesus, who is yourword, who became flesh, so that
we can see him and see you inhim.
That if we know him, we knowyou, God, that we can understand
the grace that you poured outfor us.
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That we didn't do anything ofourselves, God.
It was all you, and it's all foryour glory, and that you are
inviting us into that.
Our prayers are powerful.
What if people aren't beingsaved because we're not praying?
You invite us into activeparticipation to pray that the
lost may be saved.
You are calling the harvestersinto the harvest.
(28:56):
It starts with our prayers, God.
I pray for our listeners todaythat they would hear this truth,
that they would look over thesescriptures and see this for
themselves.
They would get on their handsand knees and pray and beg to
you, God, to save the lost, toredeem us, sanctify us, and help
us to walk through our sinfulnatures, that we may be holy as
you are, holy God.
(29:16):
Help us do what only you can do,Father.
All for your glory, that we mayenjoy you forever and ever in
Jesus' name.
Amen.
Now, as always, I want to thankyou for joining us today.
And I hope this episode hashelped you take a step closer in
your relationship with Jesus andthat you now have a deeper
understanding of just how muchGod loves you and wants you to
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know Him.
It's our desire that thisministry be a tool to reach the
loss, to pray with thesearching, and to equip the
saints for a life that bringsglory to God.
In our next episode, we'llcontinue in John chapter 3 as
John the Baptist reminds us, hemust increase, but I must
decrease.
We'll explore what it looks liketo live a life that points away
from self and toward Christ.
(29:58):
Until then, God bless, and we'llsee you next time on The
Takeaway.
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