Nicodemus' deepest need, graciously. It's marvelous to think of this encounter and Jesus speaking perfectly to the heart of this man. So this evening we consider, brothers and sisters, this amazing miracle, the new birth. And Jesus in these first verses describes that He describes it in three ways. The new birth. It is a birth from above. Secondly, it is a birth by the Spirit of God. Only the Spirit of God can bring this about. And thirdly, it is a birth that's mysterious and sovereignly brought about. So it is a birth from above. It is a birth by the Spirit of God alone, only the Spirit of God can do it. It is a birth that's mysterious and sovereignly brought about. The first of all we say, we see Jesus teaches it here, it is a birth from above. We encounter this man Nicodemus, verse 1, there's a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler, of the Jews. As we said, yes, a ruler of the Jews, a member of the ruling body of Israel, the Sanhedrin. He was evidently a very gifted man, but he was still in his sins. Well, what about this interest that he has in Jesus? What do we make of it? The scripture says, This man came to Jesus by night, and sometimes expositors make something of this, that this is for fear of the Jews, for fear of what others would think, that he seeks Jesus by night. We don't know that. We certainly see an earnestness of a sort. He was seeking a private interview with Jesus Christ, and perhaps, very likely, that could only happen at night. Couldn't get an interview with Jesus during the day, I don't think. So here he comes by night. He's very interested in Jesus Christ. He wants a private interview with him. He already believes certain things about Jesus. Oh, but many people believe certain things about Jesus. But as the scripture says in the final verse of chapter two here in John, Jesus was not entrusting himself to them because he knew what was in the heart of man. He knew where there was true faith. He knew where there wasn't faith. He knew what was going on in the hearts of men. But Nicodemus believed certain things about Jesus. We see that in verse 2 where he says, Rabbi, we know that you're a teacher come from God. For no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him. So what did he presently believe about Jesus? And the things he believed that they're respectful so far as they go, but they're entirely deficient as pertains to salvation. He believes that Jesus is a teacher come from God, which many people believed. In fact, many people no doubt believe that today and they don't have saving faith. Really, a teacher sent from God, a teacher come from God, and one who did great signs. Of course, many people witnessed the signs that Jesus did, and many people today believe the same thing, don't they? Jesus did amazing things. Many people confess that, and they have no saving faith. They believe he's a great teacher. Many people will say that, of course. Jesus was a great teacher, maybe the greatest teacher in the history of the world. But if that's all Jesus was, and no more, a teacher from God, a miracle worker, if that's all he was, then we would still be in our sins, if that's all he was. And if that's a person's assessment of Christ, if it doesn't go beyond that, that person is still in his sins. So here's Nicodemus, a Jew, a Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews, a teacher of the Jews, What impressive religious credentials he had, but in spite of all of those credentials, he was in fact a man without spiritual life. We say, yes, he was a man who was still in his sins, and by what Jesus says to him, that's very clear. But we can be sure that Nicodemus had endeavored to live the religious life as he understood it. He had endeavored to attain some level of righteousness. But now, by the grace of God, he was perhaps beginning to understand in his heart of hearts that he could not change himself inwardly. He could not try as he might, he could not attain righteousness. Though evidently he'd tried it, he'd tried to do this his whole life to this point. But perhaps we say in his heart of hearts, and I think so, yes, he's beginning to understand that he could not change himself inwardly. Nicodemus had real questions about Jesus. I think we can say we see him here at the very brink of asking the right questions. But only Jesus could save him. And again, it's striking to think of him seeking out Jesus, seeking out this interview with Jesus, and really having no idea who he was sitting in front of. Well, Jesus confronts Nicodemus concerning his true need. Verse three, truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Now, Jesus doesn't beat around the bush, does he? His goal was not to make Nicodemus feel comfortable. It was not to carefully avoid offending him in every way. He didn't tell Nicodemus that he was already connected to God. He doesn't commend Nicodemus for his service. He does not compliment him for his exceptional gifts or his seriousness about religion or pursuing righteousness. Jesus' goal was the salvation of this man, and so he speaks directly to the heart of the issue here. He speaks to Nicodemus of the absolute necessity of the new birth. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. He cannot see the things of the invisible world if he's not born again. He cannot see the things of the kingdom of God. Well, what's he saying to Nicodemus? He's saying to Nicodemus, to put it bluntly, Nicodemus, you're a blind man. You are a blind man. You and others like you stand in need of a spiritual birth, a birth from above. Apart from this birth, all men are blind to the kingdom of God. So we can say tonight, if there's anyone here who's not been born again, you are blind. You cannot begin to see the things of the kingdom of God. So Jesus to Nicodemus, you need to be born again. You need to be born from above. Such a birth only comes by a heavenly power, by the power of God. Nicodemus, all men, including yourself, stand in need of nothing less than radical renovation of the inward man, a birth from above, a spiritual birth. And man can see nothing, nothing, nothing of the kingdom of God apart from this birth from above. This is the starting point of the spiritual life. Now consider, brothers and sisters, no doubt you often have, but consider it again tonight with me, the power of this metaphor that the Lord Jesus Christ utilizes here. It is a birth of which he speaks. It's a birth from above. Nicodemus needs a new birth, a birth from above. Now think about it. As in natural birth, one cannot bring it about, obviously. We are passive in it. Our birth is not something we brought about. It's something that happened to us. I can't say, and of course it doesn't work with a verb, does it? I can't say I borned myself. I was born. I was just there. Or there I was, right? And I couldn't even comprehend what had taken place. A human being born into the world. Amazing. So the miracle of the new birth. We are passive in it. It is something that happens to us. I cannot say that I birthed myself spiritually, just as I cannot say I saved myself. And I could only begin, when I was born again, I could only begin to comprehend what had taken place. Now as a natural birth, it's an amazing thing. My wife and I, we just had two twins, grandchildren born to our oldest daughter. Amazing. Of course, twins are amazing. One baby is amazing. A birth, it's an amazing thing. A new life come into the world. It's so marvelous, it takes your breath away when a baby is born into the world. Now our culture is very contradictory here, aren't they? Because most of those unbelieving outside of Christ even, they would recognize this, a baby's born, it takes your breath away. Then they're ready to take its life at birth. Wow, what a contradiction. The power of the metaphor stands, takes your breath away when a baby's born. So marvelous, it marks the beginning of a new life. And in that respect too, it's a thing of great joy. Earth. Wow. Amazing. And so the miracle of the new birth, a new life comes into existence. It's so marvelous. Truly, it takes your breath away. It marks the beginning of a new life. And yes, it is a thing of great joy, of great joy for all eternity. One cannot bring it about. It's an amazing thing. It is a new life. It is a birth from above. Furthermore, it is clearly a birth by the Spirit. I've almost said that already, haven't I? It's a birth from above. It's a birth that only the living God can bring about, and he brings it about by the Spirit. It's the Spirit of God who works this. Now, Nicodemus asks a good question here, an honest question, sort of thinking out loud, isn't he? How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? Now, some think that Nicodemus being very literal here, I don't think so. I don't think so. He's saying something like this, what you're saying, Jesus, is unbelievable. Unbelievable. How can one know such a renovation when he's old? This is a very personal thing to Nicodemus. How can one know such a renovation when he's old? It's so radical. Yeah, it's as if a man entered a second time into his mother's womb and was born again, except, you know, the new birth is more grand than that. It's a radical new beginning of one who was spiritually dead. It's a new life brought into existence, into spiritual existence. So Nicodemus pondering these things, what you're saying, what you're implying is, it's unbelievable. It's unbelievable. Think of Nicodemus confronted with his own need. Think of him wrestling, all his life he sought to be righteous. He's never been able to change himself inwardly. Jesus, what you're saying, It's as if a man could enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born. This is unbelievable. This is unbelievable. How can this be? Can Jesus answer? Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. He must be born of water and the Spirit. He needs an inward supernatural cleansing wrought by the Spirit. It is indeed a radical change. He's saying, Nicodemus, it is indeed a radical change that I'm talking about, involved as an inward radical cleansing of the being, not only a cleansing from the guilt of sin, but from its dominion, from the idols of the heart, a radical inward cleansing where a person is really changed. Now Jesus is simply referencing Ezekiel 36 here and Nicodemus would have been very familiar with that passage. It was a prophetic promise of restoration, which promise centered in describing a work of the Spirit. Listen to the salient features of this passage from Ezekiel. This is Ezekiel 36. The Lord says there prophetically, I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, from all your idols, I will cleanse you." That's a radical, radical inward cleansing and transformation. I will give you a new heart and a new spirit I will put within you. I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. Yes, Nicodemus would have been familiar with Ezekiel 36, but he failed to see that it describes the new birth. So an inward supernatural cleansing wrought by the Spirit, a new life supernaturally wrought by the Spirit. Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. And that which is born of the spirit is spirit. A new life, supernaturally wrought by the spirit, so it must be. It can't proceed from men at all. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the flesh can never rise above the capacities of the flesh. Self-renovation is not salvation. Never was, never will be. Self-renovation is a million miles away from salvation. Aren't you thankful for that? Aren't you thankful for the reality of the new birth? Aren't you thankful for what God does in a heart when he quickens one to faith, when he regenerates the heart and he brings one to faith? A new life, supernaturally wrought by the Spirit. A spiritual birth is required for entrance into the kingdom of God, a birth by the Spirit. Nicodemus was rather amazed that our Lord should say to him that he must be born again, that he was in need of this radical transformation of life. And so Jesus enlarges on it here. Yes, this birth of which he speaks, it's a birth from above, it's a birth wrought by the Spirit, and it is a birth mysterious. It's mysterious. It's a miracle. It's mysterious, and it's sovereignly brought about. The Nicodemus, stunned and surprised, he can't believe it. It is unbelievable. Can this really be? A real, radical, inward transformation? Now he's amazed. We know that he's amazed by what the Lord says to him, right? Do not marvel. Don't be amazed. Don't marvel that I said to you, singular, you must be born again, plural. It's broad application here. Don't be surprised that I've raised this point or that I insist upon it as if it's anything less than monumental and fundamental. Nicodemus, your eternal destiny rests upon this truth. And so at verse eight, Jesus continues to press the wonder and reality of the new birth. He just describes it differently here. Yes, mysterious, sovereignly brought about. Verse eight, the wind blows where it wishes. and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from or where it goes, so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." Now, it's important to note here that both in Hebrew and Greek, the word for wind is the same as the word for spirit, so that by God's design, the wind and its characteristics is intended to illustrate the work of the Spirit in the new birth. Like the wind, Nicodemus, mysterious, powerful, you see its effects, but you have no control and no power over it. You cannot grasp it, you cannot trace its origin, you cannot predict its destination. So the work of the spirit Nicodemus, this work of the new birth, this birth from above, man is entirely helpless, powerless, unable to bring it about. Nicodemus, you, see Jesus preaching helplessness here, inability, right? You, Nicodemus, are entirely helpless, powerless to bring it about. All of your life you've labored at self-renovation, Nicodemus, and what have you really accomplished? You are lifeless spiritually on the inside, and you know it. Do not marvel that I say to you, Nicodemus, you must be born again. Do not marvel that I press upon you upon all the wonder and the necessity of the new birth. So what can we conclude about the new birth from what Jesus has said? This birth wrought by the Spirit is invisible in its origin. It proceeds from the hand of God. It's marvelous to think about it even tonight as the gospel is preached. Marvelous to think about it even tonight. Mysterious, invisible in its origin. You cannot, I cannot see it. Spirit of God does it. Proceeds from the hand of God. The birth wrought sovereignly. Man is passive in it, sovereignly, irresistibly. The power exercised in it, irresistible. That's a good thing. And this birth wrought by the Spirit is unmistakable in its evidences and effects. Notice again at the end of verse 8, Jesus says there, so is everyone who is born of the Spirit. Was Jesus talking about the Spirit here, or is he talking about the one who's born of the Spirit? No, he's speaking of both. Or perhaps said another way, he's speaking about this work of the Spirit extended and now manifest in the one who's born again. Unmistakable, inevitable effects. Aren't you thankful for that? Unmistakable. inevitable effects. Think of the fruit of the spirit as effects, unmistakable effects. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, meekness, self-control, The fallen heart can bring about nothing of that. Nothing. It's by a work of the Spirit. Well, so, how is Nicodemus to respond to Jesus' admonition? You must be born again. He can't birth himself. You must be born again. Jesus is telling Nicodemus that he stands in need of a work of the Spirit. He needs a new heart. He needs a birth from above. That's what he needs. Very clear. So he's at once telling Nicodemus what he needs, and in the same breath telling him he's unable to bring it about. How do you like that? That's great gospel preaching, isn't it? Jesus is preaching the gospel here, preaching man's inability. And of course he goes on, this is another sermon, but he goes on to preach himself. That's what he does. But what's Nicodemus to do? We say, how's he probably to respond here? Is this fatalistic? Nicodemus, you need a birth from above, but you can do nothing. What to do? Well, what Nicodemus could do, the only thing he could really do, is confess his own sin and helplessness and cry out for a work of God. This isn't fatalistic. Jesus is showing him his true need and Jesus is instructing him really how to, what can he do? Cry out for mercy. Always a great prayer. Cry out for mercy. Cry out to God for a new heart. Only he can do it. It's a great prayer. Give me a new heart. Give me a new heart. Give me, Nicodemus could think Old Testament, give me a circumcised heart. Give me a new heart. I can't do it. I've never been able to change myself. Many persons labor all their lives at self-renovation, at trying to make themselves better, and yes, some do it religiously. We know this. But as Jesus makes very clear here, self-renovation, we said it, self-renovation is not salvation. Mere self-renovation leaves a person on a path to hell. Self-renovation is just a person saying, I'll do it my way, thank you. I'll just do it religiously. I'm going to try to change myself. I'm going to do religion my way. I'm going to try to make myself better. Isn't that what God wants? Me trying to make myself better? No, it isn't what God wants. Because I can't make myself better. That isn't what God wants. He didn't want it from Nicodemus. He doesn't want it from us. What a person needs is a new birth. So here Jesus' admonition again tonight, brothers and sisters. Here Jesus' admonition again tonight, all who are here, you must be born again. Jesus at once tells us, yes, what we need. And in the same breath, he tells us we're unable to bring it about. He leaves us and all who hear it cast on the mercy of God. So to any and all here this evening who do not know Christ, here's the admonition. You must be born again. You need a new heart. Without this, however intelligent you are, however gifted you are, however you have tried to fix yourself, you cannot enter into the kingdom of God. You're not even able to see the kingdom of God. Again, you might well say, well, what can I do since I can't change my heart, since I can't birth myself, as you say, pastor? Well, again, we say you can cry out for mercy. You can cry out for mercy. You can ask God to give you a new heart. Now, you children who are here, you can hear this admonition. You must be born again. Do you know that you're a sinner? Do you know that you need a new heart? Well, God can give you a new heart. It's a beautiful thing. God can give you a new heart. One time some years ago I was preaching, not this text I don't think, but I was preaching and I was speaking to the children. I was saying, do you know your sin? Do you know that you can't change yourself? You see you don't want to obey your parents. You can see your sin. You need a new heart. That's what you need. This little voice came up from the back of the room, a little girl named Jay Lynn. She was five years old, maybe. But it's sort of a deep voice for a little girl. This voice comes from the back of the room. Oh, brother. And I didn't know who knows what's wrong at this point. Oh, brother. She said it twice. brother." She said, I need a new heart. I need a new heart. Isn't that a beautiful thing? A little child. A birth that's mysterious. We can't trace its origin. And a child can cry out for this. We would often tell our children this as they're growing. We'd say, you need a new heart. You can pray for Jesus to give you a new heart. And convicted of sin, they had a prayer they could bring. Yes, I need a new heart. Give me a new heart. Tonight, a young person, hear Jesus' kind admonition. You must be born again. Maybe all this time you've just been trying to change yourself and inwardly you're still miserable and half wondering if all of this is just made up or hypocritical. And you've not really seen the fruit of the Spirit in your life. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control. And how could you? How could you if you've never been born again? Ask God now to give you a new heart. Ask him to give you a new heart. Now just think about, it's beautiful to think of, isn't it? What God is pleased to do in our midst this evening. Scriptures are read, we sing the hymns, we hear the word preached. Think about what he's pleased to do by his spirit. powerfully, mysteriously, as the Gospels preached. Even now he's pleased to touch hearts. Yes, we said the church should be like a delivery room where children of God are birthed here and there all the time. A delivery room's a busy, noisy, often messy place. But it's a place of happiness and great joy, isn't it? A lot of nurses, they want to work in the delivery room. It's beautiful. Generally, it's a wonderful, happy place to be. That's what we pray our churches to be like, is it not? This is what we pray for. To parents tonight, I would say never stop praying for your children, that they might be born again. Never stop praying, however old they may be. If they've heard the gospel, God is pleased for Jesus' sake still to do a work in their hearts. Never stop praying. I know you won't. Parents don't ever stop praying this way. I'm just encouraging it. Never stop praying. for the new birth, and eternity will reveal the millions, millions of those prayers that have been answered. When we come to our end, when we're convinced that the only one who can do a work in the heart of those that we love is the Spirit of God, we pray in a particular way, don't we? Lord, give them a new heart. Give them a new heart. We never stop praying for this. Give them a new heart. It's wonderful to think tonight of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. And Nicodemus came to him curious, having questions in the providence of God. He was brought to the very one who alone could save him and the one who peeled back his heart and showed him what his true need was. And yes, we have good reason to believe Nicodemus was saved as he came later, of course, to recover the body of our Lord Jesus Christ. We look forward to having a conversation with Nicodemus someday and hearing more about this encounter. But for tonight, the great blessing, I think the blessing for us is again tonight, brothers and sisters, think about this miracle. Think about this miracle that only the living God can bring about. And as a congregation, we pray to see this, don't we? We pray to see here and there, everywhere, evidences of a birth from above, a heart truly changed. And we take hope in it, in what our God can do. And let's pray together as we close. Gracious Father, we thank you for this marvelous work, this miraculous work, regeneration, the new birth, a birth from above, a birth wrought by the hand of God. We praise you for it. We desire, we pray, Lord, to see this. again and again and again and again all around us. We pray to see it in our children. We pray to see it in our grandchildren. And Lord, by your grace, we would never stop praying for this. Give them a new heart. Give them a new heart. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.