 The title of our sermon this morning is and you he made alive and you he made alive our primary text John chapter 3 versus 1 through 8 and Welcome back folks to our study of the essentials one sermon one hour one theological subject an introduction essential to the growth and maturity of the Christian and In this study of the essentials, it's been our joy a blessing it's been a privilege over many weeks now to consider our confession of faith systematic theology and Doctrines that are essential to the growth of the Christian the doctrine of revelation the doctrine of God the doctrine of man the doctrine of sin It's been a blessing to consider our redemption Accomplished by the person and work of our great Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ and now we have come to a section in our study where we consider our redemption applied by the Spirit of God and Particular to our concern this morning is the work of the Spirit of God in regeneration in regeneration now as we learned Last Lord's Day the application of our redemption by the Spirit of God Begins with an effectual call London Baptist Confession of Faith chapter 10 regarding the effectual call says this Those whom God have predestinated it predestinated unto life He is pleased in his appointed and accepted time Effectually to call to himself now this call is By his word and spirit It's a call out of the state of sin and death in which they are by nature to Grace and salvation by Jesus Christ It's a call out of sin and death a call to grace and salvation By the person in work of the Lord Jesus Christ now that word effectual it's an effectual call That word effectual is used to distinguish this particular call of God from that General or universal call of the gospel that is so often ineffectual due to man's sin and rebellion There's an effectual call and there's an external universal or general call It's often ineffectual and ineffectual entirely do man's sin while many dead in their sin Do not respond in saving faith to the gospel call and they perish internally in hell those whom God Effectually calls to himself do turn from sin They do turn to saving faith in Christ and they are given by the Lord everlasting life Now what makes the effectual call effectual? What makes it effectual? Why does the sinner respond? In other words the question we're asking is what does that call consist of? What is the effectual call consist of where our confession goes on to explain in chapter 10 that the effectual call Consists of God by his holy spirit listen Enlightening their minds spiritually and saving Lee to understand the things of God Taking away their heart of stone and giving to them a heart of flesh renewing their wills and by his almighty power Determining them to that which is good and effectually Drawing them to the Lord Jesus Christ yet so as they come most freely. They're not dragged against their will right They come most freely being made willing by his grace. That's why the call is called effectual That's why it's described as efficacious. This is the effectual call sometimes referred to as Irresistible grace or efficacious grace in that it most certainly will accomplish the intended result Why does it accomplish the intended result? Because it's a work of divine power It accomplishes the intended result because it is a work of divine power alone It is a monogistic does not depend upon man depends upon the work of God alone by his spirit You can't do anything to contribute to this work. Do you see it is? Initiated by God and only initiated by God God doesn't work this effectual call in response to man God initiates the call a God in divine power effectuates the call God in divine power carries it out whenever the by the Bible mentions The effectual nature of this grace. It's ascribed to an active work of God He made us alive He gave us a new heart right. He made us a new creation of his own will. He brought us forth Whenever the Bible mentions this effectual grace of God with respect to us It always mentions that in the context of us being passive now think about this with me He made us alive. He gave us a new heart. He made us a new creation of his own will. He brought us forth and We are called passive We are made alive. We are created anew in Christ Jesus. We are born again We are saved passive No cooperation is what that means. It's not synergistic. It's monogistic John Owen Said that this grace of God is infallible Victorious Irresistible or always effective always efficacious it removes all obstacles It overcomes all oppositions and infallibly infallibly produces the effect intended it can't not Produce the effect intended when God in power is behind the work. You see The grace is effectual the grace is irresistible not because it drags a man to Christ against his will But because it changes men's hearts so that they respond Freely so that they come most freely being made willing our confession says by his grace made willing passive. You see now For that call to be effectual as opposed to ineffectual Presupposes that the call is answered think with me If the call is effectual it brings about the intended a desired result that means the call presupposes an answer If the call of God is effectual then the call itself will bring about the intended response in the one whom God calls John Murray said it is God who calls, but it is not God who answers the call the sinner is the one who answers the call, isn't he? The sinner who is called must answer and what we're talking about here in this answer involves a saving response to the gospel It involves a saving response a response that involves the heart of the sinner a response that involves the mind of the sinner a heart a response that involves the will of the sinner the actions of the sinner and Despite an absurd number of churches that teach otherwise Coming to Christ on the part of a sinner does not involve merely a physical or volitional act a physical volitional or even a mental act It does not mean that walking an aisle Praying a prayer to receive him asking Jesus into your heart getting baptized taking the Lord's supper going to mass Whatever is it? Whatever it is that you do? Doesn't mean that any of that is effectual a mere act of man's will or a mere decision on man's part a mere decision of man's mind Is not what makes the call effective or effectual? John Bunyan said that many came to Christ in his day Carnally or bodily that had no saving advantage in other words in a service when the invitation was given they made a decision of their heart and mind to Grit their teeth and get down the aisle at the altar call and give their heart to Jesus They made a decision and they followed up with some action This supposedly gives credence to that decision Why confuse any of this with any kind of physical action? Why confuse it? Why would you add any kind of physicality to this that is a spiritual call and a spiritual response on the part of the sinner? It's deceptive to do that John Bunyan even in his day 500 years ago Would say so No, we are called by the gospel to come to the Lord Jesus Christ in repentance and faith the call Calls us to repentance in faith now think with me for a moment What is wrought in the heart of man by the spirit of God in genuine repentance and saving faith thing with me This is not a a mere decision. This is not an act of man's will think with me What those terms encompass repentance and faith in the sinner's response to the gospel? Repentance involves the sinner's apprehension of his own wretched condition. Did you hear me? Repentance involves an apprehension of your own wretched condition Outside of the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ outside of the grace of God Sinners think to themselves I have need of nothing And what does the Lord Jesus Christ say you do not know that you are wretched miserable poor blind and naked That's the problem with our condition outside of the grace of God is that we don't think we need anything We're not that bad. God's not that mad, right? Repentance involves a godly or a godward sorrow over sin a sorrow over sin because it's a sin against the holy God The Puritan William Perkins said godly sorrow causes grief for sin Because it is sin It makes any man in whom it is to be of this disposition in mind that if there were no Conscience to accuse no devil to terrify no judge to arraign and condemn no hell to torment Yet he would be humbled and brought to his knees for his sins because he had defended a loving Merciful and long-suffering God It's a sorrow against our God who created us Repentance involves confession of sin Thomas Watson, it's a sorrow that events itself at the eyes by weeping and events itself at the tongue with confession Repentance involves shame for sin right the prodigal cries out to the father father I've sinned against heaven and before you. I'm not worthy anymore to be called your son It's a shame over sin repentance involves a hatred for our sin. God himself says Encompassed in the new covenant that you will loathe Yourselves in your own sight for what for your iniquity Repentance involves a turning from sin a turning in your heart your mind your will your actions Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts That's repentance The one who comes to Jesus Christ must come in repentance the one who turns in repentance must turn in faith and Trust to the Lord Jesus Christ think with me about faith faith Abandoned all self merit Faith Abandoned all self righteousness and faith draws us to the Lord Jesus Christ for his merit and by his merit alone One said faith flees with all the soul's poverty to Christ's riches It moves with the soul's guilt to Christ as Reconciler and with the soul's bondage to Christ as a liberator Nothing in my hand. I bring Simply to thy cross I cling naked come to thee for dress helpless look to thee for grace foul I to the fountain fly save me Jesus or I die Faith lays hold of Christ faith clings to his word faith trusts in his promises faith follows him as Lord Job he said that faith rests in the person of Christ by coming hearing seeing trusting taking embracing knowing Rejoicing loving and triumphing in him It's impossible for man. Isn't it in his natural state think about that response with me for a second repentance and faith We're called by God to respond to the gospel in repentance and faith and look at all that that entails Is anyone gonna sit here today and tell me that this involves a work out of man's own heart By man's own doing out of man's own volition produced by man's mind man's heart. No No This is impossible impossible in man's natural state It is impossible for man to gin that up out of his own heart in nature We require a renovation of our nature. We require an entire change of who we are. We need to be made a new creation Far from being a simple act of man's will or a decision of man's mind To come to Christ in genuine repentance and saving faith involves a complete renovation of man a Renovation of all that man is it requires a new heart The call of God the call of God is effectual. It's effective Because it produces this renovation. Do you see it produces this renovation? This is where a biblical understanding of man's depravity is so important We must understand our depravity man in his sin is utterly and Entirely Incapable of such a response and the Bible affirms that too. It's multiple places in Scripture. Just a reading of your Bible That's affirmed man cannot no one can come to me Jesus says unless it has been granted to him by my father Jeremiah asks Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard it spots? If so Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil You can't do good who are accustomed to do evil no more than the Ethiopian can change his skin or the leopard his spots We must be radically changed Paul describes it this way Follow along with me now. Paul describes it this way in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 1 listen And you he the Lord Jesus Christ and you he made alive God made alive you who were dead In trespasses and sins the bible describes this as dead You he made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins in which you once walked according to the course of this world According to the prince of the power of the air the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience Among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh Fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and we're by nature Children of wrath just as the others by nature dead But god verse 4 who is rich in mercy Because of his great love with which he loved us even when we were dead in trespasses He made us alive together with christ by grace you have been saved And he raised us up together made us sit together in the heavenly places in christ jesus So that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding Riches of his grace and his kindness toward us in christ jesus For by grace you have been saved through faith and that is not of yourselves It is the gift of god not of a works lest anyone should boast Now murray follows that up with a question The question then that we are compelled by the testimony of scripture to ask is this How can a person who is dead in trespasses and sins Whose mind is enmity against god and who cannot do that which is well pleasing in god's sight How can that person answer a call to fellowship with christ? How can a person whose heart is depraved How can a person whose carnal mind is enmity against god embrace him? Who is the supreme manifestation of the glory of a holy god? The believing Loving Repenting response Which the call of god requires is a moral and a spiritual impossibility On the part of the one who is dead in trespasses and sins It's a moral a spiritual impossibility Those that are in the flesh cannot please god. No one can come to him. It speaks of inability No one can come to him unless it has been given to him by the father The answer to this dilemma lies in the effectual call and the effectual grace of god The effectual call of god Comes with The effectual call of god is accompanied by the grace that gives spiritual life to those who are spiritually dead It is grace whereby the one called is enabled Empowered endowed in order to be able to embrace the lord jesus christ as he has offered to us in the gospel This is the grace of regeneration It's the grace of regeneration a new birth It's a new creation. It's a transformation or renovation of all that man is matthew barrett offers this definition Regeneration Is the work of the holy spirit to unite the elect sinner to christ by breathing new life Into that dead and depraved sinner so as to raise him from spiritual death to spiritual life Removing his heart of stone and giving him a heart of flesh so that he is washed Born from above and now able to repent and to trust in christ as a new creation more over Regeneration is the act of god alone and it is therefore monogistic in nature Accomplished by the sovereign act of the spirit apart from and unconditioned upon man's will to believe in short man's faith Does not cause regeneration But regeneration causes man's faith really really important at the end of that think with me Really critical to understand the implications of that statement man's faith Does not cause regeneration Regeneration causes and leads to man's faith There's something the theologians talk about you'll read this if you study theology It's called the order of salvation the ordo salutis Where theologians have attempted to put into an order god saving work in christ applied by the spirit Right and there's an order in which many think of that It's really problematic to think in terms of an order Because many of these things are imperceptible regeneration the new birth will most Likely in many or most cases be imperceptible to you You may not realize what's happened until you're looking in the rear view mirror and you see the work of grace in your heart, right? But um nevertheless, there's an importance to thinking of in some cases in order These things happen many times simultaneously when you walk into a room, right and you're going to turn the light on You walk over to the switch you flip the switch And it's almost as if at the very same time that you flip the switch the light comes on right lights pretty quick So the switch goes on the light comes on the room the entire room flooded with light But we know don't we we know That in order for the room to be flooded with light that switch has to be flipped first electricity runs from the switch to the light bulb the light bulb lights and illumines the room we know Logically that there is an order even though in our experience of it. We may not physically be able to sense it that makes sense The order solutus is much the same way These things may come together the effectual call regeneration The sinner turning with the an understanding of their condition turning to faith in the lord jesus christ some of these things being entirely imperceptible other things being maybe Radical and very perceptive perceptible But all of these things happening In our sense in our experience of them virtually simultaneously, but it's very important to understand That in order for man to do anything which pleases god the switch has to be flipped first make sense That is the effectual call of god and regeneration god in order for sinful depraved Dead in sins and trespasses man To make any kind of a decision to follow christ God has to intervene with effectual grace in regeneration to cause that one who is spiritually dead Bring them to spiritual life so that they are enabled and empowered to put faith and trust in the lord jesus christ It's why that Repentance and faith are a gift of god and not a work that man does to merit salvation make sense There are numerous passages in the old testament in the new testament that we could look To inform our understanding of regeneration or the new birth for our time this morning turn with me to the gospel of john john Speaks clearly of these things So we'll spend some time this morning back in the gospel of john look with me at john chapter one beginning at verse 10 I hang in there with me these passages will help us understand this work of god His work of god spirit and we want to understand and apply our understanding so that we can Walk and worship as we should In john chapter one beginning in verse 10 john makes a distinction Between the children of wrath and the children of god So we're seeing contrasted beginning in john chapter one verse 10 A distinction between the children of wrath and the children of god he begins With a description of the children of wrath verse 10 He jesus christ He was in the world and the world was made through him and the world did not know him He came to his own And his own did not receive him Now follow along with me the world did not know him And his own did not receive him. He didn't come to the world as an as an alien He didn't come to the world as a stranger The world he came to the world that was made through him And he came to his own people the very people that should have welcomed him Rather than knowing him and rather than receiving him. They willfully rejected him. Why because they are children of wrath By nature children of wrath just like the rest Well, what about the children of god like in verse 12? But as many as received him To them he gave the right to become children of god to those who believe in his name Now all my life Growing up in church I've heard scripture twisters rec verse 12 In an attempt to justify the sinner's prayer Or in an attempt to justify this little methodology of praying to receive christ for salvation It's not what verse 12 is talking about Many continue to butcher verse 12 to assert that faith comes before regeneration To those who received him to those who believed in his name He then gives the right to become children of god now many many many will assert those two errors from verse 12 You got to keep reading You got to keep reading you can't divorce verse 13 from verse 12 Many a heretic would be shamed and put to silence if they would just keep reading right Those children of god verse 13 were born They were born And that's passive by the way They were born not of blood Nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of god Now What does that mean? Being the child of god is not the result of human descent or human Accendancy heritage. It's not hereditary. It's not passed from parents to their children Being the child of god is not the result of human action not a result of the flesh Being a child of god does not come through natural processes being a child of god comes through supernatural processes That which is born of the flesh is flesh That which is born of the spirit is spirit. You can't save yourself by your own works is what that means Finally Being the child of god is not the result of human decision. It doesn't come about by the will of man Not the result of human decision. The natural man is opposed to god They were described in verses 10 and 11 1 Corinthians chapter 2 verse 14 The natural man does not receive the things of the spirit of god for they are foolishness to him Nor can he speaks of inability He cannot know them because they are spiritually discerned The child of god Is not born through any of these natural or physical means. Do you see man is incapable of bringing about A spiritual birth the child of god is born of god behind the faith Of those who believe and those who receive Is the regenerating work of the spirit of god whereby they are born of him Easy way to think about it that is this we love him. Why? Because he first loved us All those born into this world all those born in adam are still born You are dead on arrival Dead in your trespasses and sins dead to the things of god. You're on the table The heart monitor is a flat line There's no spiritual pulse the great physician has declared you to be dead And he's declared you to be dead in his word. Do you see The nurse comes in records the time of death as your physical birth in sin Dead on arrival. You are brought forth in iniquity. Your mother conceived you in sin You must be born again of god. This is the doctrine of regeneration. You must be born again Some might compare Regeneration to the defibrillator paddles Applied to the chest that bring a jolt of electricity to the heart restart a dead heart Right, but that description doesn't go far enough. Why this is the same old heart It's the same old heart in regeneration The great physician takes out the old dead lifeless offensive heart of stone and replaces it with a new living soft Responsive repentant believing heart of flesh He's speaking spiritually here is a keel chapter 11 verse 19 referring to the new covenant Listen god says i will give them one heart and i will put a new spirit within them I will take the stony heart out of their flesh And give them a heart of flesh so that In order that they may be able to walk in my statutes and keep my judgments and do them And they shall be my people and i will be their god Apart from god doing that work We cannot walk in his statutes and keep his judgments and do them those who are in the flesh Cannot please god moses speaks of this in deuteronomy chapter 30 prophesying of the new covenant moses says the lord your god will circumcise your heart That's the spiritual counterpart the anti-type so to speak to physical circumcision Physical circumcision points to Not baptism physical circumcision points to spiritual circumcision of the heart The lord your god will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants to love the lord your god with all your heart And with all your soul that you may live One of the clearest texts in all the bible Is found in the lord's conversation with nicodemus from john chapter three turn to john chapter three just a couple of pages of the Right john chapter three and look there with me at verse one the lord jesus christ finds himself In conversation with nicodemus a man whom we know by the end of the gospel is Genuinely converted and is serving the lord even goes to the Pharisees goes to pilot and asks for the body of the lord jesus christ The lord jesus christ is talking to him beginning in verse one. There was a man of the Pharisees Named nicodemus. He was a ruler of the jews now consider with me for a moment from verse one exactly what we know About nicodemus this man think with me It says here that nicodemus was a man of the Pharisees As a Pharisee nicodemus was highly educated Highly educated Jesus calls him in verse 10 the teacher of israel Highly educated. He would have known his old testament inside and out a Pharisee of Pharisees secondly Nicodemus as a Pharisee was therefore obsessively religious He knew his bible and he's obsessively religious think with me He professed to believe that in the one true living god of israel He did everything that he thought he was supposed to do under the law of god He would have considered himself and others would have considered himself to be blameless He believed in god. He was extremely moral. He knew his old testament Third nicodemus was a ruler of the jews nicodemus has climbed to a position of respectability He's not only the teacher of israel, but he's a ruler of the jews Now if anyone on the planet Had any reason whatsoever to think That on their own By their own will according to their own decision had any right to be right with god Certainly, it would have been nicodemus Of all the nations in the world at that time nicodemus was born in israel Of all the israelites in the world. He was highly educated in the scriptures Of all those highly educated in the scriptures. He was in full-time ministry He was a Pharisee today. He'd be a pastor you could say Of all those Pharisees He was a ruler of the people and the teacher of israel and nicodemus at this point in time was on his way to hell Amazing, isn't it astonishing to think of that? Why why because none of those things change the heart None of those works have anything to do with god's grace and mercy and jesus christ to save a center You can't be saved by any of those things none of those give The regenerating renovation that man needs In the heart to savingly repent and savingly believe in the lord jesus christ nicodemus here has a form of godliness But nicodemus is denying the practical power of it He needs a regenerating work of god's grace now this is made manifest in the conversation with jesus christ that follows verse 2 This man nicodemus 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 Nicodemus says we know we know who you are jesus Now consider with me what nicodemus knew we've considered who nicodemus was Consider with me what nicodemus knew he knew that the lord was a qualified and respectable teacher calls him rabbi And a dress reserved for a respectable teacher He knew that jesus christ was sent by god. He was a sent one by god And he knew that christ performed miracles in the power of god However, even from verse 2 we can see that there's a glaring Deficiency in what nicodemus said he knew isn't there The lord jesus christ is just a teacher He's not lord and god If jesus christ was lord and god to nicodemus nicodemus wouldn't have waited to sneak off and come to see him by night He would have been sitting at his feet all day every day learning from jesus christ who is lord and god you see He didn't want to approach him in the daylight He sought him under the cover of darkness. That's because nicodemus feared his fellow Pharisees More than he feared the lord jesus christ Do not fear those Who can simply destroy the body? But fear him Who can destroy both body and soul in hell Jesus to him is just a good teacher. He's an ordinary man shows that nicodemus's understanding is also shrouded in darkness, isn't it There are many many many who would profess far more than nicodemus I know That jesus is the savior You're out witnessing you run into people all the time. I know that jesus christ has saved me How do you know? I know that i'm a christian Many will say in order to be saved all you have to do is admit that you're a sinner. I know i'm a sinner. Well, that's enough But like nicodemus there's a deficiency in their knowledge knowledge alone will not save you There's been no work of grace in their heart. They continue to live in their sin. They're not following the lord in faith They're not obeying the word of god. They take no interest in the word of god. They're not Hungering and thirsting for righteousness. There's no Heart wrenched hatred of sin, right? There's none of that in their experience But i know jesus christ and i know that he saved me and i know these facts and i know i'm a christian Well jesus in verse three answers him Nicodemus said we know jesus verse three answered and said to him most assuredly truly truly I even i say to you unless one is born again He cannot see the kingdom of god. Do you see how one answers the other right? What you know what you think you know will not save you unless one is born again He cannot see the word means to perceive He cannot perceive the kingdom of god now notice four things with me about the lord's response in verse three four things one Notice that the new birth regeneration. That's what the lord is talking about With those words born again. He's talking about regeneration Notice that the new birth is absolutely essential and it's essential determined by that one word unless Unless one is born again. He cannot see the kingdom of god. It means that the new birth is essential Apart from being raised from spiritual death to spiritual life. You cannot see the kingdom New birth is absolutely essential second Notice that notice that the verb born is born. That's an arist passive We would call it a divine passive It's passive in the sense that regeneration is something done to you Not something done by you It's done in you by god. It's not done by you for god This is because we are dead spiritually apart from new birth. We're dead in our sins and trespasses You were completely passive in your first birth Right, you were passive in that You really didn't do anything Be honest with yourself. You didn't do anything But cause pain You are completely passive in your first birth. You won't have anything to do with your second birth either My name is mark. That's what you're going to call me. I'm going to be born today I'm going to be born to mike and becky. Those are my parents Here's the day on which I choose to be born. Make sure there are warm blankets and a lot of water Available when I come You don't have anything to do with your first birth. You don't have anything to do with your second birth We do not choose to be born That is Profound truth, isn't it? We do not choose to be born The heiress it's an heiress passive verb right the heiress that's the tense The heiress points to the fact that regeneration one is instantaneous. It's like a snapshot. It happens in a moment Regeneration a new birth is instantaneous It's not like sanctification. It's not a process That takes place over time like the roman catholic church teaches or some arminians teach or some pelagians teach It's a single occurrence. It happens once and it happens for good. You are born again Literally there in verse three it means born from above The word literally means from above you were born from above born from heaven Not a birth from earth. It's not a birth from earth. It's a birth from above third Notice that apart from being born again You cannot see the kingdom of heaven Clearly speaks of man's total inability That is a result of his total depravity doesn't mean that you're as bad as you can be What it means is that as a result of the fall Every single faculty of man is corrupted Every single faculty of man rendered hopeless apart from a work of god by his spirit Your heart is depraved. Your will is depraved. Your mind is depraved. Your emotions are depraved. Your affections are depraved Your imagination is depraved. Your your desires are depraved Apart from a radical resurrection You are unable to see Unable to perceive you are spiritually blind. You are spiritually deaf. You are spiritually dead You are spiritually unresponsive. You need new life 1st chrithians chapter 2 verse 14 the natural man does not receive the things of the god things of the spirit of god For they are foolishness to him. Why? He cannot know them. Why because they are spiritual spiritually discerned the new birth therefore is absolutely necessary for Notice what's at stake Unless you are born again You cannot see the kingdom of god Apart from being born again. You're in the kingdom of darkness There are only notice there are only two kingdoms the kingdom of light The kingdom of the son of his love and the kingdom of darkness. There is no in between There is no pipe dream purgatory Which is an absurd twisting of scripture There are two kingdoms the kingdom of light the kingdom of darkness Paul says in colossians chapter 1 verse 13 that god must deliver us from the power of darkness And must convey us into the kingdom of the son of his love This is heaven or hell. You must be born again You must be born again well in verse 4 Nicodemus responds to this statement by the lord jesus christ listen to what nicodemus asks Verse 4 nicodemus said to him. Well, how can a man be born when he's old? A sensible question nicodemus Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? The lord tells nicodemus that he must be born again passive You must be born again passive and the very first response of nicodemus out of his flesh is what must i do active to be saved Do you see how nicodemus responds or what do i got to do? How can this happen? How can a man do this? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? Nicodemus is speaking figuratively here, but the essence of his question is this what do i have to do? How do i start all over again? Like the rich young ruler all these things i've done for my youth. What is left for me to do? What does jesus say verse 5? Jesus answered most assuredly i say to you nicodemus you must try harder note In verse 5 jesus answered most assuredly i say to you nicodemus you must do more There's something left you haven't done No, no, no children of god are born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man But of god nicodemus you need a new heart You need a new heart. You need a new nature. You need to be made a new creation. You need to be indwelt by my spirit Jesus answers you must be passive Completely remade you need a miracle a miracle to take place in you Verse 5 jesus answered most assuredly i say to you unless one is born of water and the spirit He cannot enter the kingdom of god. This is not a natural work nicodemus. This is a supernatural work You cannot attribute to man that which may only be done by god Nicodemus's religion to this point is entirely centered around what nicodemus does as a Pharisee He labors to keep the law Blameless under the law are we to obey god? Yes, not as a means of earning salvation Nicodemus is entirely focused on what he must do As if law-keeping as if by being a good jew he could go to heaven In one moment and with one statement jesus christ sweeps All of his religion off the table And out the door and into the wastebasket Everything that nicodemus thinks that he knows and thinks that he should do and be in order to earn favor with god. It's all in one statement just Wiped off the map. Do you see jesus emphatically states It is by the work of god alone. It is in the power of god alone. You and i Must be radically changed at the level of our heart at the level of our nature And what's the first thing that many do with the lord's teaching here in verse five? What's the very first thing That many do well, obviously verse five. We need to be baptized then Ha You know he says there in verse five unless you're born of water and the spirit they just forget the Teaching that comes before they forget the teaching that comes after well, obviously then it's my baptism So then what must i do to be saved i've got to be baptized To which we reply Titus chapter three verse five Not by works of righteousness which we have done But according to his mercy he saved us through the washing of the waters of baptism No What does paul say to titus? through the washing of regeneration That's what it means to be born of water and the spirit water in the old testament Was a symbol Again, these are physical things pointing to spiritual things physical washing and water even baptism is a picture is it not physical washing of water pointing to spiritual washing spiritual cleansing that we need as sinners Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy He saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy spirit whom he poured out on us Abundantly through jesus christ our savior that having been justified by his grace We should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life water is a symbol A reference to the cleansing work of the holy spirit that begins at the new birth This is a spiritual washing. This is a spiritual purification. It's a forgiveness of sins It's the cleansing of our conscience seen over and over and over and over again in the old testament We're talking about spiritual realities not physical realities No work of righteousness Paul says no work of righteousness. No physical water can cleanse the sin stained heart of man There is no cleanser powerful enough save one and that's the blood of the lamb The spirit of god applies the work of christ to the elect of god He does so beginning with the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy spirit. You must be born again Why why verse six Because That which is born of the flesh is flesh And that which is born of the spirit is spirit Like produces like kind produces kind so sinners produce sinners A christian Well, that's a new creation A disciple of the lord jesus christ. Well, that's something new A genuine disciple can only be produced by the spirit of god. You must be born again Verse seven do not marvel that I said to you you must be born again. Don't stand there in amazement This is clearly taught in the scriptures for nicodemus. This was all over his old testament scriptures This is exactly what moses was speaking about in deuteronomy chapter 30 Don't stand there astonished at what i'm saying to you nicodemus. You should know this This is clearly taught in your bible verse eight the wind Numa the wind numa 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 Numa the spirit Wind verse eight compared to A metaphor for the spirit of god wind and verse eight is a reference to the spirit numa breath wind spirit Consider a few observations with me On the analogy that the lord makes here verse one or one the first observation in verse eight the wind blows where it wishes The spirit blows where he wishes The wind isn't controlled by human beings The wind isn't beholden As if he is subject to respond to human actions human works or human effort The wind doesn't sit back and wait on human beings to do what human beings do so that the wind can then do what he does The wind blows where he wishes to The wind Can't be comprehended You can't see its point of origin You can't see its ultimate destination. We don't know where it comes from where it's going in terms of his work Modern meteorology not withstanding The wind isn't beholden To human knowledge or human understanding third The winds effects Are clear and undeniable. You can hear the sound You can see the rustling of the trees. You can see the bramble Rolling across the parking lot You can witness its unmistakable power Verse eight So it is With everyone who is born of the spirit We don't know How the spirit does that miraculous glorious work We can't Comprehend those things it is awesome power It's a work of the spirit of god by which he renovates the entire nature the heart of man And it's something that we don't fully understand But we see the fruits of it We see the effects of it So it is with everyone who is born of the spirit the new birth of god's covenant people has its source Its origin in the unseen incomprehensible powerful fruit producing spirit of god He is the one who moves where he wishes to bring about life in dead Sinners it's not the product of human will not the product of human running not the product of human knowledge not the product of human effort You must be born again It's through his work in the heart of god's people that the spirit of god then produces fruits of the spirit we see His effects we see the fruits of his working Regeneration Is supernatural It's a work of god alone. It's a work of his divine power Regeneration is instantaneous It's a one-time work. It's the implanting of spiritual life and those who are spiritually dead Regeneration is radical It is a transformation a renovation of the whole Person the mind the will the emotions the affections the actions the desires And through regeneration it is through regeneration that a sinner will come to christ That response of repentance and faith is only part is only possible In the heart of one who is dead in sins and trespasses It's only possible by a regenerating work of god's spirit to change the heart To enable the center to empower the center to respond with god glorifying god pleasing repentance and faith It's the only way that's possible It's like Raising Lazarus from the tomb Lord jesus christ stands in front of that tomb Tells them to roll away the stone Mary comes up to him and says lord. I don't think you want to do that. He's been in there four days. He's stinking Lord says roll it away And he stands outside the tomb Lazarus is dead Inside and the lord jesus christ in divine power Calls forth Lazarus From death to life As glorious as that miracle is the miracle of regeneration far more Calling a dead sinner Changing all they are to now being able to respond with love and affection and devotion and Hatred for sin and a hungering and a thirsting for righteousness and a love for the word of god It simply wasn't there before A sight of the lord jesus christ as unspeakably precious Where before he wasn't Where before at most you were indifferent toward him now He is gloriously beautiful to behold And precious to you and your heart On this side of eternity wrapped up now In loving him Worshiping him waiting earnestly for his appearing that you might spend eternity with him praising him That change of heart just simply is not the fruit of any decision of man The question that we have to ask in conclusion is this Have you been born again Have you been born again? like I said with some that work of god by his spirit in the heart of a sinner is Maybe Imperceptible at times But many have thought to themselves given time, you know Everything seems to have changed You look back Over the last six months the last year the last two years the last three years whatever it's been, you know, and you think to yourself I have a love for god's word that simply wasn't there before I have a love for the people of god that simply was not there before i desire to obey him and With god's help i'm laboring to obey him i'm overcoming sin when i couldn't overcome before i just These changes these fruits must be fruits of god's grace by his spirit at work in my heart and I believe i've been born again praise god right You see the effects of his work Where the wind blows Has the spirit of god done a work in your heart for others The work is You recognize it It's seemingly one day to the next And now everything has changed the way i see the world has changed the way i see my sin has changed the way I see the lord jesus christ has changed the way i see the church has changed the way i see everything has been transformed It's like a veil a brick wall has been torn down from in front of my eyes I see the bible like i've never seen the bible before right i see my sin Like i've never seen my sin before and everything changes Do you see in your life the fruits of the spirit's work? Do you see the effects of the breath of god? Blowing through your once dead dry heart Do you see it? Can you say Praise god by his spirit i see fruit amen praise the lord I pray to god for more If not this morning if you say to yourself My religion has been a sham My professed christian life is superficial If you could work past My outward profession my moral exterior You would see a heart that is cold dead or indifferent toward the lord jesus christ I simply don't see life within me Then flee flee to christ Flee to god to do a work in your heart Spirit of god, please god Breathe life into my dead heart. I can't cause me to live Please god Circumcised the foreskin of my heart. Please god cut me Pierce me with a two-edged sword of your word Apply the all-sufficient work of the savior and save my soul Please god do that work in me that only you can do and don't stop crying out to god for it until he does that work in you The lord is gracious He is rich in mercy and abounding in grace May the wind of your spirit god Blast forth in power Upon our heart May he give you life from the dead All praise and honor and glory to the one who raises the dead. Amen Let's pray Take just a few moments and go before the lord silently now And ask the lord to Work in you this morning according to his goodwill and pleasure And we'll pray together and you'll be dismissed. Let's pray Father in heaven, we need you The work that is done in us by your spirit is Simply a work that we are entirely and utterly incapable of that work in the heart of the center to give them spiritual life in christ and that work in the hearts of your saints to sanctify We need the work of your spirit more desperately. And so we ask you For the sake of our lord jesus christ Who's bride we are Please lord Wash us with the water by the word conform us into his image Make us a chaste bride Holy and without spot or blemish or any such thing And For his glory Make us a fitting bride We love you. We thank you for this work done by your spirit. I pray lord Convert sinners for your glory and cause them to be born again build up my brothers and sisters cause us lord to Rejoice in that work and to depend on you in prayer for that work and to avail ourselves of the means of grace For that work to take place within our hearts That we might be conformed to his image for your glory in jesus name. We pray these things. Amen