Participants: Pr. Furman Fordham II
Series Code: FDOF
Program Code: FDOF000042A
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00:17 Hello, and welcome to Foundation of Our Faith.
00:20 My name is John Dinzey. It's a pleasure to be with you. 00:22 And I'm glad to be a part of this hour 00:25 when we will hear a message from God's Word. 00:28 And today, we have a message from heaven 00:32 through our invited Pastor Furman Fordham II. 00:37 He's a native of Kansas City, Missouri. 00:40 And the Lord has blessed him to pastor in different places 00:43 including youth pastor in Melbourne, Australia 00:45 but he is also pastor in Illinois, 00:47 Kansan City, Missouri, 00:50 and also now senior pastor 00:52 in Riverside Seventh-day Adventist church 00:55 in Nashville, Tennessee. 00:57 The Lord blessed him with a wife Jennifer, 01:00 that a former elementary school teacher 01:03 that has accepted the great privilege 01:06 to be a home-school mom. 01:08 And they have been blessed with three wonderful children. 01:12 And the first one, Furman III also called Pace, 01:17 Irwin also called Pax, 01:19 and Jennings Walter also called Price lovingly, 01:23 nicknames the family has given them. 01:25 And Pastor Fordham is a person 01:29 that the Lord has also used to write a book co-authored 01:33 with Eddie Polite. 01:35 The book called Mission Driven Ministry. 01:38 And the Lord has blessed Pastor Fordham 01:41 with a desire to see churches move 01:44 from just maintenance to mission-driven churches. 01:48 So through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in his life, 01:52 he has been quite a blessing in all the churches 01:55 he has been in thus far. 01:57 And we know you will be blessed 01:59 as you stay with us during this hour 02:01 because we have a message from heaven entitled, 02:04 "The A, B, C." 02:06 So if you think you know the ABCs, 02:08 you need to stay by and listen to God's message 02:11 through Pastor Fordham. 02:14 And we also have a musical guest ministry, 02:18 a music evangelist Sister Chavvah Lister. 02:21 Sister Chavvah Lister is a person 02:23 that loves the Lord and wants to communicate 02:27 that through her music 02:29 so that people will be inspired to follow Jesus 02:31 with all of their heart. 02:33 She's also been blessed with a loving husband 02:37 who is also a senior pastor, 02:39 Pastor Martin, senior pastor 02:41 of the Orchard Park Seventh-day Adventist Church 02:44 and they have two wonderful children. 02:47 And during this hour, 02:48 you will hear a music or a message in song entitled, 02:53 "Were it not for Grace." 02:57 Before we listen to this message and song, 03:00 we are going to ask you to join us in prayer. 03:02 So wherever you are, we encourage you to pause 03:05 and join us as we go to the Lord in prayer. 03:08 Let us pray. 03:10 Our loving heavenly Father, we thank you so much, 03:14 that You have loved so much 03:16 to bring us another message from heaven. 03:19 And we pray Lord that as we listen, 03:21 we will be drawn close to you. 03:24 We pray that you will use Pastor Fordham to speak to us. 03:29 And, Father, we pray that 03:30 if people that are listening to this message 03:33 are going in the wrong way, 03:35 we pray that as a result of listening 03:37 to this message they will find Jesus, 03:39 the way, the truth, and the life. 03:42 And heavenly Father, 03:43 we know that some are listening, 03:48 not because they plan to listen 03:50 but because You have called them for this moment. 03:52 They just turned to the channel, 03:54 they just turned to the webpage, 03:56 found this message on the radio dial, 03:59 and we pray that You will speak to them 04:01 and we pray that they will listen to You 04:04 through your servant Pastor Fordham. 04:06 And we pray heavenly Father 04:08 that as they also listen to the ministering song, 04:11 they will be drawn close to you. 04:12 And we thank you for listening to our prayer, 04:15 for we bring it to you in Jesus' name, Amen. 04:18 Amen. 04:20 Well, we now invite Sister Chavvah 04:21 and we encourage you to be blessed 04:23 as you listen to Were it not for Grace. 04:26 Immediately after this, 04:27 we will hear the message from God 04:30 through Pastor Fordham. 04:31 May God bless him. 04:50 Time measured out my days 04:57 Life carried me along 05:04 In my heart I yearned to follow God 05:10 But knew I'd never be so strong 05:16 I looked hard at this world 05:20 To learn how heaven 05:24 Could be gained 05:28 Just to end where I began 05:33 Where human effort 05:36 Is all in vain 05:42 Were it not for grace 05:50 I can tell you where I'd be 05:56 Wandering down some pointless road 06:01 To nowhere 06:03 With my salvation up to me 06:09 I know how that would go 06:16 The battles I, I would face 06:23 Forever running but losing the race 06:30 Were it not for grace 06:40 So here is all my praise 06:47 Expressed with all my heart 06:54 Offered to our Friend who took my place 07:01 And ran the course I could not start 07:07 And when He saw in full 07:11 Just how much 07:15 His love would cost 07:20 He still went the final mile between me and heaven 07:27 So I would not be lost 07:34 Were it not for grace 07:41 I can tell you where I'd be 07:47 I'd be wandering down some pointless road 07:52 To nowhere 07:55 With my salvation up to me 08:00 And I know how that would go 08:07 The battles I 08:09 I would face 08:14 I'd be forever running 08:17 But losing the race 08:21 Were it not for grace 08:29 Forever running but losing the race 08:36 Were it not for grace 09:01 Forever running but losing the race, 09:05 were it not for grace. 09:07 Praise the Lord for the grace of God 09:11 that gives us everlasting life. 09:13 We wanna thank Chavvah for ministering to us in song. 09:17 And, John, once again, thank you 09:20 for your introduction. 09:21 It is a blessing to be able to share God's Word 09:25 with the Dare to Dream family, 09:28 happy to be a part of 09:29 The Foundation of Our Faith program. 09:34 My wife is a kindergarten teacher. 09:38 And one of the unique aspects of being a kindergarten teacher 09:44 is you deal with the foundation, 09:46 the fundamentals. 09:47 You are teaching individuals how to get in line. 09:51 You are teaching them how to tie their shoes. 09:54 You are teaching the fundamentals. 09:58 You are teaching the ABCs. 10:01 I wanna share from God's Word a conversation 10:06 that Jesus had where he taught the ABCs. 10:11 I wanna invite you to turn with me to John 3. 10:16 And I'm reading beginning with verse 1 10:19 in the New King James Version of the Bible. 10:23 John 3:1 says, 10:26 "There was a man of the Pharisees 10:30 named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 10:34 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, 10:38 'Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher 10:42 come from God, 10:44 for no one can do these signs 10:46 that You do unless God is with him.' 10:51 Jesus answered and said to him, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, 10:56 unless one is born again, 10:58 he cannot see the kingdom of God.' 11:02 Nicodemus said to Him, 11:04 'How can a man be born when he is old?' 11:08 Can he enter a second time 11:10 into his mother's womb and be born?' 11:13 Jesus answered, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, 11:17 unless one is born of water and of the Spirit, 11:23 he cannot enter the kingdom of God 11:27 that which is born of the flesh is flesh, 11:29 and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 11:32 Do not marvel that I said to you, 11:36 'You must be born again.' 11:40 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, 11:45 but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes, 11:49 so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." 11:53 Verse 9, "Nicodemus answered and said to Him, 11:57 'How can these things be?'" 12:01 Let's bow our heads together. 12:04 Hover over me Holy Spirit, 12:08 bathe my trembling heart and brow, 12:11 fill me with Your Hallowed presence, 12:14 come, oh, come and fill me now. 12:17 Fill me now, fill me now, only You can fill me now. 12:24 So fill me with Thy hallowed presence. 12:26 Come, please come, and fill us now. 12:32 In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen. 12:37 The ABCs, 12:40 the Bible says there was a man of the Pharisees, 12:45 a ruler of the Jews, a man named Nicodemus. 12:52 The Pharisees in Jesus' day 12:55 were over against the Sadducees, 12:59 like the republicans 13:02 and democrats would be in our day. 13:06 With the addition that they were not just the civic leaders 13:11 and the rulers of the state, 13:14 they were also the leaders of the church. 13:17 So if you were a Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews, 13:22 you were a leader in the government 13:25 as well as a leader in the church. 13:28 So Nicodemus is like a congressman and an elder. 13:33 He's a legislator and as well as a deacon. 13:37 Nicodemus is a Pharisee, a rule of the Jews, 13:43 he probably is well-educated, 13:46 probably has a decent amount of resources, 13:50 he has pedigree. 13:52 He is an example of the best 13:55 that the Jewish religion can offer. 13:58 Nicodemus is a part of the upper crust, 14:02 the higher class. 14:04 He's a part of the elite social establishment. 14:08 And this is the individual who came to Jesus. 14:13 Jesus was the polar opposite of Nicodemus. 14:18 Jesus is a country hit preacher from Galilee. 14:23 Jesus didn't attend the higher schools of learning. 14:28 Jesus was homeschooled there on His mama's knee. 14:31 Jesus is not a part of the aristocracy. 14:35 Jesus is the polar opposite of Nicodemus. 14:40 He told someone that foxes have dens 14:44 and others have places to lay their head, 14:47 but Jesus was dependent upon the hospitality of others. 14:51 He was a lonely Galilean. 14:54 He's the polar opposite of Nicodemus 14:58 but yet there is something about Jesus 15:03 that has grabbed Nicodemus's attention. 15:06 Something about Jesus, 15:07 that is attracting him and drawing him. 15:12 It's possible that Nicodemus was among that number 15:17 that went out to the river Jordan, 15:19 where John the Baptist was baptizing. 15:22 And he may have heard John the Baptist 15:26 point to Jesus and say, 15:28 "Behold, the lamb of God 15:30 that takes away the sin of the world." 15:33 It's possible that Nicodemus had heard about that wedding 15:37 at Cana where Jesus turned the water into wine. 15:42 It is probable that Nicodemus was there in person 15:48 when Jesus came into the temple as a part of that feast day 15:54 and He threw out the money changers. 15:57 It would have been the equivalent 15:59 of an inauguration in our state capital 16:03 and one of these country bumpkins 16:05 from way down south comes 16:08 and just disrupts the entire festivities. 16:11 Nicodemus, as a ruler of the Jews, 16:14 would have been there and he sees in Jesus, 16:19 one who is obviously imbued with the power 16:22 and the spirit of God, and he says to himself, 16:26 "I've got to have a conversation with Jesus." 16:31 But it wouldn't be appropriate for big Nicodemus 16:35 to be seen in conversation with unknown Jesus. 16:42 That would compromise Nicodemus's station, 16:46 it would ruin his reputation. 16:48 So Nicodemus decides, 16:51 "I'll secure an interview at night. 16:54 I don't want anybody to see me. 16:57 I don't want to cause any hubbub or any trouble." 17:02 So Nicodemus makes his way up the Mount of Olives. 17:07 Imagine him with his regal pharisaical robes 17:12 trying to not be caught in any bushes, 17:16 or bramble, or thorns, 17:17 and he's winding up the corridor 17:21 trying to find the retreat 17:23 where Jesus spends the night. 17:25 And once he comes in contact with Jesus, 17:29 he tries to regain his composure 17:32 and get his demeanor 17:34 and he clears his throat and he says, 17:37 "Rabbi, we know that you are teacher come from God, 17:43 for no one can do these signs 17:46 that you do unless God is with Him." 17:49 That sounds likes a very dignified address, 17:53 a very appropriate way of showing respect and honor. 17:58 Nicodemus is trying to engage Jesus 18:02 and he uses a salutation 18:05 to try to elicit a response, 18:09 but Jesus cuts right through the charade 18:13 and notices not just what Nicodemus says 18:18 but notices what Nicodemus did not say. 18:24 Nicodemus said, 18:25 "We know You are a teacher come from God," 18:30 but Nicodemus didn't say, 18:32 "I believe that You are the Son of God." 18:36 Nicodemus is approaching Jesus like a colleague. 18:40 Nicodemus believes that he is a teacher sent from God. 18:43 Nicodemus is coming as if Jesus is a contemporary 18:47 and they're gonna share and trade secrets. 18:50 It's possible that Nicodemus wants Jesus 18:53 to become his disciple. 18:56 He can bend and mould this Young Man 18:58 and he might be able to have him 19:01 as a part of his school of theology. 19:04 But Jesus cuts right to the chase, and says, 19:08 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, 19:11 unless one is born again, 19:15 he cannot see the kingdom of God." 19:19 Jesus is saying it would do no good for me 19:24 to enter into a conversation about my theology 19:28 or about my mission 19:30 if you have not been born again. 19:34 Those conversations will serve no salvific value. 19:38 Jesus is saying, "Nicodemus, we got to deal with the ABCs. 19:44 You are wanting to have big conversations 19:47 about theology, and about predestination, 19:51 and about women's ordination. 19:53 And you want to talk about the end of time. 19:56 And you want to understand my prophetic positions 20:00 on various subjects. 20:01 And you want to talk about the thoughts 20:04 that we have regarding our different tribes 20:07 and whether or not this is the Israel of God, 20:10 and the interpretation of the Mosaic laws 20:13 and the various rituals in the sanctuary. 20:16 But before we get to all of that, 20:18 we got to start with the ABCs. 20:21 Nicodemus, verily, verily, I say unto you, 20:26 unless one is born again, 20:31 he cannot see the kingdom of God." 20:35 Jesus is making it plain 20:38 that spiritual things are spiritually discerned. 20:41 Nicodemus, you don't need more theological information, 20:46 what you need is spiritual experience. 20:52 There are some things 20:54 that are not sufficiently grasped just by observing them 21:00 and studying them and discussing them. 21:04 And Jesus is trying to say, 21:06 "Nicodemus, this spiritual life, 21:10 this Christianity that I have come to inaugurate 21:13 and implement, 21:14 it can't just be studied and discussed, 21:17 it has to be experienced." 21:21 As an African American young man, 21:23 I used to tell my father that I hated the fact 21:28 that I was born in the '70s and grew up in the '80s, 21:32 and missed most of the excitement of the '60s. 21:38 I was jealous that so much happened 21:42 in that civil rights movement era, 21:45 and I felt liked I missed it all. 21:47 I could only read about it in newspapers, 21:51 and read about it in magazines, 21:53 and watch it in video presentations, 21:56 but I was missing something 21:58 because I hadn't experienced it. 22:01 And then I remember 22:04 when a senator from Illinois announced his candidacy 22:10 for the president of the United States, 22:13 and I remember when he ran 22:16 and when he foreseen that caucus Iowa. 22:20 And the African American in these Untied States 22:25 were scared to hope but started to hope 22:28 that we might actually experience 22:31 the first black president of the United States. 22:34 I remember going to cast my ballot early on Tuesday. 22:39 I went to my polling place, the library is where I went. 22:43 And there were older senior citizen, 22:46 African American ladies, 22:48 and they were dressed in their Sunday finest, 22:50 and they would nod as if to say, 22:53 "I know, we coming to do business." 22:55 And I remember when he stood there, 22:57 it was like black royalty, Michelle and Barack. 23:02 I experienced, I lived through 23:05 the first African American president 23:09 of the United States. 23:10 Someone will be interviewing me asking what it was like. 23:15 I didn't study it, I didn't observe it, 23:18 I didn't discuss it, I experienced it. 23:21 And Jesus is trying to say to Nicodemus, 23:24 this spiritual thing is not something 23:29 that can just be discussed, or studied, or theorized, 23:34 or bantered about in the halls of theology, 23:37 it must be experienced 23:40 if you want to see the kingdom of God, 23:43 you must be born again. 23:49 Nicodemus was caught off guard. 23:55 He's expecting to have a conversation 23:57 about different thoughts on teaching the Torah. 24:01 And Jesus hasn't just said, 24:05 "A man must be born again." 24:08 Jesus has suggested that all must men be born again 24:13 which would include Nicodemus. 24:17 The truth is that the Jews described gentiles 24:23 who converted to Judaism as new born babes. 24:29 So Nicodemus is sketching the implication 24:33 that Jesus is suggesting 24:36 that even he needs to be born again. 24:40 That he, the ruler of the Jews, that he, 24:45 the leader of the church, that he, Nicodemus... 24:48 Not they need to be born again, 24:51 not y'all need to be born again, 24:54 Jesus is saying, "You too." 24:59 This is getting a little too close 25:01 for comfort for Nicodemus, 25:02 so he decides that Jesus cannot be suggesting 25:08 that he needs to be born again. 25:10 There must be something else to this discourse. 25:13 Maybe this is a riddle and Jesus is engaging him 25:17 in a joke. 25:18 So he decides he's gonna play along. 25:20 Okay, okay, how can a man be born again? 25:23 What? 25:24 Does he get back into his mothers womb 25:27 to be born again. 25:28 And Jesus says, no, Nicodemus, 25:32 I'm not speaking of spiritual birth 25:37 and physical birth 25:39 in some terms of earthly 25:44 getting inside of your mothers womb 25:47 and coming out in some birthing ward. 25:50 No, I'm speaking about the fact 25:53 that just like flesh gives birth to flesh 25:58 and there is a literal physical birth, 26:01 there is also real, tangible, 26:06 legitimate, spiritual birth. 26:08 That which is flesh gives birth to flesh, 26:12 and that which is spirit gives birth to spirit. 26:16 Nicodemus, do not be surprised when I say to you, 26:22 even you must be born again. 26:28 Nicodemus is making it obvious 26:31 that he does need this spiritual birth 26:36 that Jesus is discussing. 26:39 He's making it clear that spiritual things 26:43 aren't spiritually discerned with him 26:45 because Nicodemus is not a spiritual creature. 26:50 Nicodemus has yet to experience 26:53 the ABCs of salvation. 26:57 When Jesus puts the conversion experience 27:03 in an illustration of birth, 27:05 He's suggesting at least three things. 27:09 Everyone who comes 27:11 to planet earth must be born. 27:17 You can't skip it, bypass it, 27:22 clip it, you cannot delegate it. 27:26 If you are going to come to Planet Earth, 27:29 you must be born. 27:30 And in the same way, Jesus is saying 27:33 if you want to experience the new heaven 27:36 and the new earth, 27:38 you must be born again. 27:42 Jesus is also teaching 27:44 that there's a priority to this new birth. 27:49 There's nothing of importance that you can do 27:53 until you get born. 27:56 You can't go to school, and get married, 28:01 and have a job, and have children of your own, 28:06 until you get born. 28:08 There's a sequence to some things. 28:10 And Jesus is trying to say to Nicodemus, 28:13 "You skipped a step. 28:15 You're trying to form huge sentences, 28:19 and make long paragraphs, 28:22 and deal with polysyllabic terms 28:24 and you've yet to get the ABCs. 28:27 Nicodemus, if you want to see the kingdom of God, 28:32 you must be born again." 28:35 Not only does this birth illustration 28:39 suggest that everyone must experience it, 28:44 not only does it suggest that there's a priority to it, 28:48 we cannot think that we can bypass this step. 28:52 But it also suggests 28:55 that our conversion experience 29:00 is a gift. 29:02 See, birth is not something that you can earn, 29:09 something that you can achieve. 29:13 Your life is something that you can only receive. 29:19 And Jesus is saying to Nicodemus in the same way 29:24 that you were dependent upon your earthly mother and father 29:29 to gift you life that culminated in birth. 29:34 You are dependent upon the ministry of the Holy Spirit 29:39 to gift you new life. 29:43 "Nicodemus, do not marvel when I say unto you, 29:48 'You must be born gain.'" 29:52 This is not optional, this is not a course 29:57 that you can choose to take or decide to bypass. 30:01 This is fundamental like the ABCs. 30:07 And I think one of the challenges 30:09 throughout Christendom 30:11 is we've tried to bypass this fundamental step. 30:17 We have people who are engaged in church work, 30:21 who are concerned about church teachings, 30:24 who want to discuss worship styles, 30:27 and want to discuss whether or not 30:29 women can be ordained and want to deal with tide flow 30:33 and organization of regular and state 30:37 and church conferences 30:38 and want to deal with all of these other enterprises, 30:42 but we've bypassed 30:45 the ABCs of being born again. 30:50 And Jesus wants to explain to Nicodemus 30:56 and I believe He wants to explain to us 31:00 these ABCs. 31:04 Nicodemus' response to Jesus, in verse 9 it says, 31:10 "How can these things be?" 31:15 Jesus has said to him that the wind blows 31:20 where it wishes. 31:22 We may miss it in our English Versions, 31:26 in the original Greek that Jesus is speaking 31:29 and that is being written, 31:31 the word for spirit and the word for wind 31:35 are the exact same. 31:38 Jesus is saying, 31:39 just as the wind is invisible and you cannot control it 31:45 or bottle it or grab it, 31:49 you also cannot disprove it. 31:53 The fact that you can't see the wind 31:55 doesn't mean that the wind does not exist. 31:57 Just because you can't see the spirit, Nicodemus, 32:01 just 'cause you can't grab the spirit 32:03 and hold the spirit, 32:05 does not mean that there's no such thing as the spirit. 32:08 Nicodemus, in the same way that the wind moves 32:13 and it creates and you can tell 32:16 by what it affects that it exists, 32:19 allow the Holy Spirit to move up on you 32:23 and have his way with you, 32:25 and by the change that we see in you, 32:28 we will be able to attest that this is true. 32:33 And, Nicodemus is wondering, 32:35 how in the world can these things be? 32:40 Jesus says to him, I thought you were the teacher 32:43 and you don't understand the ABCs. 32:47 The first thing, Nicodemus, 32:49 you need to admit that even you need to be born again. 32:54 I want us to understand 32:56 that the A in our salvation experience 33:00 is to admit that we have a need of a Savior, 33:04 it's not just them that need to be born again 33:08 or they who need to be born again, 33:12 it is me, it is me, oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer. 33:17 I need to be born again. 33:22 The Bible says in Genesis 5:1, 2, 3, 33:29 what seems like 33:31 a surface family tree discussion, 33:36 it says that Adam 33:39 was created in the likeness of God 33:45 and then Adam had a son named Seth, 33:49 who was created in Adam's image. 33:54 It's interesting that Adam was created 33:59 in the righteous spotless image of God, 34:05 but then Adam sinned and failed, 34:08 he distrusted God, he removed himself from God. 34:13 After Adam sinned, 34:15 God comes looking for Adam and Adam fears God, 34:19 Adam runs from God, Adam distrusts God. 34:23 By the time Seth comes along, 34:27 that son that was born after Cain and Abel, 34:31 when Adam and Eve are outside of the garden, 34:34 this is after sin has entered in, 34:38 this son is not born, the Bible says, 34:41 in the likeness of God, 34:43 he is born in the image of Adam. 34:47 Something is now wrong with our birth, 34:52 we come here broken, bruised, 34:57 dysfunctional, defamed. 35:01 We come here distrusting God. 35:04 David said, I'm born in sin and shaped in iniquity 35:08 and the reason why that first step is to admit 35:12 that you need a Savior, 35:14 admit that something's wrong with your first birth, 35:18 is because all come here broken 35:21 and damaged and sinful from birth. 35:25 Sin is not just what we do, sin is what we are. 35:31 It is a condition that we have. 35:33 It does not matter how many degrees, 35:36 what pedigree, how many days you spend in church, 35:40 how much offering you give, 35:42 we are born in sin and shaped in iniquity. 35:46 We have an incurable disease. 35:51 Something was wrong with our first birth 35:54 and we need to admit 35:57 that even I need to be born again. 36:02 Jesus is trying to say to Nicodemus, "You too." 36:08 And I believe that the Word of God 36:10 needs to speak to you too, to me too. 36:17 A, Admit my need 36:20 of a Savior. 36:24 The reality is that we can look at physical birth 36:30 and tell that something is wrong with that first birth. 36:35 I know that you like I see your newborn baby 36:40 and think that they're perfect and pure 36:43 and could almost think that they're righteous, 36:46 but let one of those babies cry in the middle of the night 36:50 and you realize they're the most selfish creatures 36:53 that have ever been created. 36:54 Only concerned about my, 36:56 could care less about how long you worked the night before 36:59 and whether or not you got any rest. 37:01 Babies come here selfish. 37:03 I remember when my oldest son was about 37:07 three years old or so 37:08 and my middle son was about six months old or so, 37:13 and the middle son was stealing a cart carrier 37:17 and he was being placed in the kitchen on the floor 37:21 as my wife was preparing to take him 37:24 and his older brother into the car 37:26 to go on a little trip. 37:27 So he is on the floor in his carrier 37:30 and his two and half, three year old brother 37:33 is in the kitchen walking around. 37:34 And my wife hears some big bang, 37:38 it's obvious that something has fallen 37:40 and something has broken. 37:41 She comes down and she says to the oldest boy, 37:44 "Pace, what happened?" 37:46 And Pace looks at his little brother, 37:49 points at him, 37:51 while he's still strapped into the cart seat 37:55 and says, "He did it." 37:59 Now who taught him to lie? 38:03 Why is it that we must teach children 38:07 to tell the truth? 38:10 Because we come here broken, 38:14 we come here damaged. 38:17 And the first step in our recovery 38:22 is to admit that we need a Savior. 38:27 Jesus constantly had a problem 38:29 teaching the ABCs to the church folk, 38:33 those Pharisees wondered 38:35 why he was always hanging out with the public kins 38:39 and the sinners and the tax collectors 38:42 and the prostitutes, 38:43 and all of those high-handed sinners, 38:47 and Jesus said, 38:49 "It's only the sick that have need of a physician." 38:56 He was trying to suggest you are sick too, 39:00 but because you won't admit your need, 39:03 you feel you have no need of a Savior. 39:08 The gospel requires 39:11 that we admit our need. 39:15 Jesus is trying to say to Nicodemus 39:19 and trying to say to us, 39:22 you need to be born again, A, 39:26 Admit your need. 39:29 Then he moves further and gives him the second step 39:34 in the ABCs of salvation. 39:38 He says in an attempt to answer Nicodemus's question 39:42 concerning how these things can be, 39:46 how can this new birth take place? 39:49 Jesus says in verse 14 of John chapter 3, 39:53 "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, 40:00 even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. 40:06 That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, 40:12 but have everlasting life." 40:14 This was familiar ground for Nicodemus. 40:19 It was a story from the history of his people, the Jews, 40:25 it's found in the Book of Numbers, 40:29 Numbers chapter 21 records the story 40:34 where the children of Israel are now on their way, 40:39 out of Egyptian slavery, 40:42 and they are making their way toward the Promised Land. 40:47 And they are concerned about the fact 40:51 that they cannot find wool, food, 40:54 and they cannot find water and in Numbers 21, 40:59 they are complaining and complaining 41:01 and they are complaining to Moses 41:04 and finally Moses goes and prays to God. 41:08 Now God says, 41:09 I will allow some of these snakes 41:14 in the wilderness, 41:15 some of these serpents in the wilderness to be free 41:19 and to do what they desire 41:21 since you complained about me and you're angry at me. 41:25 I will remove the protection that's provided by me. 41:29 And now the children of Israel 41:31 are being bitten by these venomous snakes 41:34 and they are dying by the hundreds. 41:37 They cry out to Moses and ask him to pray to God 41:41 to remove the fiery serpents. 41:43 And when God goes to Moses, when Moses goes to God, 41:48 God gives him an interesting solution. 41:53 He says, I want you to make a brass pole 41:58 with the form of a serpent around it, 42:02 and whoever looks at the pole, 42:07 will be healed. 42:10 Now I don't know what you think about the solution, 42:15 but you'd have to agree 42:17 that it is not the most scientifically reasonable, 42:21 it would be the equivalent of me having a heart attack 42:25 and someone calls 911 42:27 and they get the ambulance to come 42:30 and instead of them bringing the gurney 42:32 and putting me into the ambulance, 42:33 they say just prop his head up 42:35 and have him look at the ambulance 42:37 that has the picture of the stick 42:39 with the snake around it that comes from this story. 42:43 But yet the Bible says, 42:46 "That those who looked, lived." 42:51 What God was trying to teach them 42:56 was that their sin was equivalent 43:01 to being stung by these serpents 43:04 and the poisonous venom 43:06 was going to result in their death. 43:09 And their only solution was to put their faith 43:15 in the promise of God, 43:17 to put their belief in the Word of God. 43:21 God could have said, do 10 jumping jacks, 43:25 God could have said, do 20 push-ups, 43:27 God could have said, 43:29 dip in the river Jordan seven times, 43:31 God could have said, put blood over the door post, 43:33 God could have said, get in an ark. 43:36 But this time, God said, 43:37 "Make a pole with a brass serpent 43:40 and if you look at the pole, you'll live." 43:43 God gave a promise and if you believe God's Word 43:47 and believe His promise, you'll live. 43:52 Jesus is saying to Nicodemus, 43:55 just as Moses lifted up the serpent 44:00 in the wilderness 44:01 and the people had to come out from their tents, 44:05 not worried about what others would think, 44:08 not worried about whether or not this might fail, 44:11 not even worried about 44:13 whether or not they thoroughly understood, 44:16 remember, the gospel is explaining 44:19 that some things have to be experienced, 44:22 you might not understand 44:24 all of the ins and outs of the rebirth experience, 44:28 you may never understand 44:30 how God can create within you a clean heart 44:33 and restore a steadfast spirit, 44:36 but our job is to stand flatfooted 44:40 on the promises of God, 44:42 standing on the promises of Christ, my Savior. 44:47 They step out of their tents, 44:49 not worried about what people said 44:52 or what people saw, 44:53 and they looked on God with faith and belief 44:58 and those that believed were healed. 45:03 Just as the Moses lifted up the serpent 45:09 in the wilderness, 45:11 even so must the Son of Man. 45:16 Jesus referred to himself as the Son of Man 45:20 borrowing that image from Daniel 7, 45:24 where Daniel envisioned, sees one in heaven, 45:28 coming to God, the ancient of days 45:31 and receiving a kingdom that would never pass away, 45:34 and he's called the Son of Man. 45:36 Jesus is saying, I am that Son of Man, 45:40 and I'm going to be lifted up on a cross 45:44 and whosoever believes on me, 45:50 oh, it doesn't matter if you don't understand it, 45:53 doesn't matter if you can't explain it, 45:56 it may not be scientifically legitimate, 46:00 but your job is not to thoroughly understand it, 46:05 be able to explain it, have an ability to exegete it, 46:09 your job is to believe it. 46:12 Your job is to stand firm on the Word of God, 46:18 admitting your need of a Savior 46:21 and believing that you have a Savior. 46:24 The Bible through Jesus 46:26 is giving us the ABCs of salvation. 46:31 Admit your need of a Savior 46:34 and believe that Jesus is your Savior. 46:40 The reality is that so many of us 46:46 are satisfied discussing our religion 46:50 and debating our religion, 46:53 but we need to bring our need, 46:59 our weakness, 47:01 our hopelessness, our helplessness, 47:05 and then we need to ask God 47:08 for the faith to believe in His righteousness. 47:12 And when our admission of our need 47:16 intersects with the belief 47:18 that God and Christ has served our need, 47:22 it will give birth to change. 47:27 What the Bible is teaching 47:31 is that in order for us to be born again, 47:35 we need to admit 47:38 that something was wrong with our first birth. 47:45 I see it every time I... 47:48 Do not respond consistent with the love of God 47:53 when I do not love others as I love myself, 47:58 when I realize that I'm selfish and that I'm envious 48:02 and that I'm jealous and that inside of me 48:06 is that same kind of propensity 48:09 that Paul talked about in Romans 7, 48:13 "The things I want to do, I don't do, 48:15 and the things I don't want to do, 48:17 I find myself doing, oh, wretched man that I am, 48:21 who shall deliver me." 48:23 I'm A, admitting my need, 48:25 but then I'm ending like Paul did in Romans 7, 48:30 and I'm saying praise be to God 48:33 that I have been delivered in Jesus Christ. 48:37 Jesus is the Savior that I need, 48:41 when he died on the cross, 48:44 dying to pay the penalty for my sin, 48:48 He was communicating the love of God, 48:51 a love so deep and so strong, 48:55 so wide and so high, 48:58 so unconditional, so consistent, 49:01 that it looks beyond my thoughts 49:04 and seize all of my needs. 49:06 When I admit that deep down inside, 49:09 I distrust God, I don't like God, 49:13 I distrust God, and I am selfishly unlike God, 49:18 but then when I look on Jesus 49:22 and I believe that that is God and he loves me, 49:28 it changes me. 49:32 And instead of fearing God, start trusting God. 49:39 Instead of hating God, I start loving God. 49:45 When I believe 49:49 that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh 49:54 and I believe that He has saved me, 50:01 it produces a change that is the equivalent 50:06 to being born again. 50:10 No longer am I anti-God, 50:14 disinterested in God. 50:17 No longer am I apathetic toward God, 50:20 I'm attracted to God. 50:23 Jesus is trying to teach Nicodemus 50:26 and trying to teach you and me, the ABCs. 50:32 He wants us to admit our need of a Savior 50:38 and believe 50:41 that he is the Savior, 50:45 and when my admission of need 50:50 is joined with belief in the Savior that I need, 50:56 it produces a changed creature. 51:01 We see that change in John 19, 51:07 it's the last time that we hear about old Nicodemus. 51:14 He thought about that interview 51:17 and reflected on that interview 51:22 and he was a part of that Sanhedrin council 51:25 that was trying its best to trap Jesus 51:29 and accost Jesus and eventually to try 51:34 and judge and crucify Jesus. 51:37 And he would suggest 51:40 an approach of patience and deliberation. 51:45 He said, we shouldn't try a man and condemn him as guilty 51:49 before we've given him a chance to be tried in court. 51:53 He tried his best to stop the proceedings 51:57 and to halt the proceedings, but after a while, 52:00 the massive mass of the Jewish elite establishment, 52:06 they went out and decided 52:08 that they were going to kill and crucify Jesus, 52:11 and when they secure their objective, 52:13 Nicodemus saw Jesus 52:18 as the Son of Man, 52:21 hung up between two things. 52:26 But he saw him not angry, 52:31 not cursing, 52:34 not abusing those who abused him, 52:37 but willingly saying, "Father, forgive them, 52:43 for they know not what they do." 52:45 And he saw the divinity of Jesus, 52:50 the messianic Christ-likeness of Jesus, 52:55 he was convicted that this was God, 52:58 not just a Savior of the world, but the Savior of his world. 53:05 And Nicodemus was changed. 53:08 And after Jesus was crucified, 53:12 the Bible says 53:13 in John 19:38, 53:20 "After this," after Jesus' death, 53:23 "Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, 53:27 but secretly for fear of the Jews, 53:30 asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, 53:34 and Pilate gave him permission. 53:37 So he came and took the body of Jesus." 53:39 He wanted to give Jesus a proper burial. 53:42 But look at verse 39 says in John 19, 53:48 "And Nicodemus, 53:51 who at first came to Jesus by night..." 53:57 embarrassed Nicodemus, 54:00 who didn't want to be see Nicodemus, 54:03 who thought he was too high and mighty Nicodemus, 54:06 who had to come at night so that no one would know 54:09 he was talking to Jesus Nicodemus, 54:12 that Nicodemus who at first came to Jesus by night, 54:17 also came. 54:19 Oh, this is Nicodemus coming in the day, 54:22 this is Nicodemus coming during a period 54:26 when the world won't know what side he is on. 54:29 This is Nicodemus coming out of the shadows, 54:32 because Nicodemus has been changed. 54:36 Nicodemus no longer thinks that he's high and mighty. 54:40 Nicodemus has been brought humble and laid low. 54:43 And Nicodemus wants to come to Jesus 54:46 and do whatever he can to serve Jesus 54:50 because Nicodemus has been changed by Jesus. 54:56 Nicodemus has learned 55:00 his ABCs. 55:03 Nicodemus has experienced 55:08 the ABCs with all of his pedigree, 55:15 all of his Pharisaical robes, 55:18 all of his external righteousness, 55:22 Nicodemus has come to see that he needs a Savior, 55:28 and he admitted his need, 55:33 his emptiness, 55:36 his brokenness, his hopelessness. 55:41 But he didn't just stop at admitting his need, 55:46 he believed in his Savior. 55:49 He believed that Jesus was God in the flesh 55:55 and that he was dying for his sin. 56:00 Nicodemus placed his faith in Jesus, 56:04 placed his trust in Jesus, Nicodemus looked at Jesus, 56:10 and just like the children of Israel, 56:12 looked at that pole with that brazen serpent 56:16 and their poison was healed, 56:19 the poison of Nicodemus's pride 56:22 and Pharisaical righteousness was healed. 56:26 Nicodemus was changed. 56:30 And my prayer 56:33 is that you and me 56:39 will admit that something is wrong with our first birth, 56:46 that we will believe the promise of Jesus 56:52 that says, For God so loved the world 56:54 that he gave his only unique son 56:57 that whosoever believes in him, 57:00 just trusts him and you will have everlasting life," 57:04 all that we might admit our need of a Savior 57:08 and believe in the Savior we have, 57:11 and that belief 57:14 will produce change 57:18 and we will be born again. 57:23 Are you willing to experience the ABCs? |
Revised 2017-11-28