Episode 1 - The Decision

Christianity 101

Christianity 101

Week #1 – The Decision:

Opening notes:

Each person who has found eternal life has a unique story of the route God used to help him or her come to that place.

· It may have happened in a church service like on Easter Sunday, where they heard the Gospel preached and it moved them to walk forward and make that stand for Jesus.

· They may have been raised by Christian parents in a Christian home, and it was presented to them by their own family

· They may have had a friend share the gospel with them after finding faith in Jesus themselves.

· It is even possible that they were reading a bible and came to the passages we will be looking at today and were convicted by the living Word of God.

But no matter the route that they came to hear and believe the gospel, there is only one way to get there. We need to be clear that there is only one way to get to heaven. Jesus is the way that God has provided for us, and each person needs to make a decision to accept or reject Gods plan of salvation that is offered to him or her.

That is why we have titled this week “The Decision”

Read: John 3:1-21 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

3 In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’”

4 “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!”

5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”

The opening verses of John chapter 3 involve a conversation between Jesus and a Pharisee who was also a member of the Jewish ruling council.

· The Ruling Council: The Jewish Ruling Council was a group of elders who were also called the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin was a group of 70 respected Elders, Pharisees or Scribes who were in place to act as a ruling party to keep order and avoid interference from the Roman Govt.

· The Man Nicodemus: This mans name is Nicodemus. He comes to Jesus under the cover of night, which would insinuate that he wanted to keep this a somewhat secret or at the very least a private meeting with Jesus. It is likely that there may be some initial skepticism in the mind of Nicodemus.

· Timeline: This meeting happens early (likely in the 1st year of Jesus’ 3 year ministry). The purpose of his meeting with Jesus is circumvented right away as we see Jesus begin to dictate the direction of the conversation.

We will break these passages of scripture down into 3 basic sections:

A. Born of water and Spirit (vs:1-8).

B. Jesus is the only way of Spiritual birth (vs:9-18)

C. A Spiritual life in contrast (vs:19-21)

We are Born of water and Spirit:

John 3:3-8 - In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’”

4 “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!”

5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

We gain 2 important truths about Gods kingdom from verses 3 & 5.

1. Vs:3 – No one can SEE the kingdom unless he is born again

2. Vs:5 – No one can ENTER the kingdom unless he is born of water and Spirit

We learn that Gods kingdom is a spiritual one and that you must be born of the Spirit to enter it. If you want to see Gods kingdom or if you want to enter it there is a specific requirement from God. You must be born again!

How it all began:

Man was severed from the Spiritual relationship with God because of sin.

Genesis 3 records the fall of man.

· Vs:1 (Satan causes the Eve to question Gods Word to her and Adam)

· Vs:4-5 (Satan deceive...