If you will, find our text this morning in the book of John, chapter 3. This is our second message in the series of divine appointments, looking at when God places us at a specific place, at a specific time, for a specific purpose. Christ is a great illustration and most of our sermons on this is going to be surrounding different episodes with Christ as He walks on earth. Because He was the really good at keeping divine appointments. Now you and I, we tend to, if we're not careful, we can find ourselves late to the party sometimes. And we'll find that if we're not careful we might just miss those divine appointments. But Christ here is very punctual about being where he needs to be when he needs to be there. Here in John chapter 3 and verse 1, we'll read the first couple of verses and then we'll get into the message and continue reading on down. But it says, There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night and said unto him, Rabbi, We know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Father, Lord, I need your help this morning. Lord, I need strength in my voice. I pray that you'd help that. I pray that you'd give us clarity of mind, clarity of speech. Lord, that you'd do a work in each heart and each life that only you can do. Lord, I'm thanking you for all that you have done. Lord, just your goodness to us. The privilege to be here today and the privilege to gather with your people. I pray that you'd be in this hour, pour out your presence in our midst. In Jesus' name, Amen. We see here the thought of a divine conversion. The story of Nicodemus is a unique one in that Nicodemus was a religious ruler at the time. He was a member of the Sanhedrin. He was some of the highest of the high in the rulers of the religious orders of that day. In fact, we can see here that he is so high that if we could put it this way that He is nervous about what others might think. We see here a dark entrance into this story of Nicodemus. It says he cometh unto God by night. He comes to Christ but he does it by night. There's a fear there that he is facing because of what he deems as a ridicule from those that would be around him. He approaches in darkness. There was fear in his heart, fear of the crowd, fear of the unknown. I believe that he was probably present at the end of John chapter 2. When all of those are around and you can see how there are people that are there that are claiming to know God, but God says, I don't know them. Then you get into chapter 3 and we see this man named Nicodemus. Nicodemus is a great illustration of you and I. Because he is dealing here in the dark hours of the night for the fear of what others might would say. After all, the religious leaders despised Christ. They hated what He stood for. They hated everything that He did. They hated where He went. They hated who He talked to. And anybody that was around Christ would be deemed in the same category. As I was studying this, the Lord began to remind me and encourage me to not allow fear to be what dictates action. So often in the world we live in, we allow fear to tear down any form of stability that we might find in Christ. The devil has used fear for a number of years. He's used it for centuries and millenniums. He has used fear to keep people from calling out to God. Fear of what folks will think. Fear of what must be given up. Or just plain fear. I can't remember the word that was used, but anybody ever watch Charlie Brown? He goes through and they're describing all the different fears there. And they get to one and they say, what is that? And they say, that is the fear of everything. And I would say that there have been days that I have had the fear of everything. But I do notice Nicodemus here, even though there was a fear inside of him, he did not allow that to keep him from coming to Christ. But so often, you and I will allow fear to get right in the way of what God is desiring to do. Fear of loneliness. Fear of persecution, fear of ridicule. I've heard it said from those that would sit in a pew that are lost. Why won't you go forward? What will they think about me if I was to do that? Fear will keep you from God if you're not careful. The devil's really good at planting fear in your heart. But Nicodemus, even though he was afraid, he still came. We still see that he has come to God. He has approached Christ. He is now sitting at the presence of Christ. This divine appointment has been kept. The same came to Jesus by night. We see the conversation begin to take place. He tells Christ who he thinks he is. He says, Thou art a teacher come from God. I've noticed something in these studies that I'm doing that these people that Christ encounters, they rarely have an understanding of just who it is they're talking to. The woman at the well, she said, I don't know who you are. Who, what makes you greater than the God or than Jacob? What makes you greater than our fathers? Nicodemus here, he comes to him and he says, I know you're a teacher. Oh, but he's sitting in the presence of something that's so much more. He is a teacher and I'm glad for it, but He is the only one that can offer eternal life. He has a dark entrance to the things of God, but an entrance nonetheless. After all here, He has a divine appointment to keep. An appointment that will lead to His conversion. Verse 3, we see a divine example. He begins to talk to Christ and he doesn't even bring this up. I was thinking about this. It isn't like the rich young ruler that's standing there and he comes to Christ and he says, Good Master, what must I do to be saved? That's not what Nicodemus says. He says, I know you're a teacher and that you're from God because nobody else could do these things but a man of God. But it's almost like Christ knew what he'd come for. There's one thing they say about pastoring. That when people come to you with a problem in pastoring, that's never the problem. And I have found it to be true. If you come to me and say that I've got this problem, nine times out of ten, there's really another problem that is present. This is just the one you feel like talking about. Nicodemus has come to God and he begins this conversation. And Christ answers a question that hasn't even been asked yet. Look at what he says there in verse 3. in regards to this divine example. Notice what it says, Jesus answered and said unto him. Again, I don't see really a question in verse 2, but Jesus knew why he was there. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Christ here begins his conversation with Nicodemus by pointing him to the only thing in life that will truly help. He tells Nicodemus here that he must be born again. There's a little song that we used to sing at Liberty Bible Church when we were members there. And it goes something like this. Happy birthday to you. Only one will not do. Born again is salvation. We hope you have too. That's the way they sung happy birthday. As I was studying this, God brought that little song back to my mind and pointed to the fact that if you're not born again, the first birth is not going to help you. The first birth brings you into the world, but it's also your condemnation. Man is born in sin. Lest he have a second birth, he is doomed for eternity. Christ here begins his conversation with Nicodemus. He says, Lest a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Only one will not do. Born again is salvation. We hope you have too. Talking about divine appointments, of divine conversion, Christ is sitting there seemingly minding his own business. He's just been teaching. Just been talking to folks and now it's dark. He's sitting there in the dark hours. No doubt, maybe tired. Again, we see this guy coming to him at an inconvenient time. Christ is very willing to keep the appointment. If you were born of a woman, but nothing else, you're going to go to hell when this is over with. You have to have the second birth in order to have a divine conversion. Listen to me now. I want you to hear me. You can make all the professions of faith you want to. You can cry out as much as you want to. But until he moves in your direction, it will be for naught. Is that not what it says in John 2? He says they knew Him, but He did not commit Himself unto them. What I'm saying is that when God moves in your direction, it would be wise to move back in His. God begins to work in your heart. He begins to work in your soul. Nicodemus had heard something that spurred something that drew him to that fire that night. He's sitting there across the fire from Christ and he begins to talk to Him. He doesn't even really know exactly what he needs, but Christ knew what he needed and he began to open himself up to Nicodemus and he said, Lest a man be born again, he cannot see the things of God. Talking about a divine example, you've got to be born again. You've got to come to Christ when Christ deals with you. That verse says, seek him while he may be found. There will be a day you reject God long enough, he will not be found anymore. There will be a day that He will hide Himself from those that reject Him. The Bible says today is the day of salvation. Divine example. Then in verse 4, We see a divine or a directed entreating. A directed entreating. What does that mean? Directed question. I just like these. Nicodemus asked Christ a question. Nicodemus saith unto him. Now this seems like a logical question, doesn't it? How can a man be born when he's old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? After Christ lays it out, Nicodemus begins to ask these questions. Notice Nicodemus does not turn away and say that he will figure it out. No, he turns to Christ and asks to understand it. If Christ is dealing in your heart, the best course of action is to ask him to make it clear. He has a good way of making clear the unclear. I'm not talking about finding out the very fabrics of the universe. God never intended for me to know that. But when He has given me something specifically like He did with Nicodemus, and I don't understand it, if I'll ask Him, He will clarify. That's what he does with Nicodemus here. Nicodemus asks the question. He says, Lord, and I'm going to put it into hillbilly English for a minute. Lord, that don't make no sense. I'm old. In fact, the theological scholars would say that after the events of John 19, The last time Nicodemus is mentioned. That it was shortly after that that he died. So he was well on years when he approached Christ. Now, it seems logical to ask the question. We're sitting around a fire. I tell you the only way that you can get to heaven is you got to be born again. You don't know what that means. What am I supposed to do? Hit the return label on this thing and go back into my mama's belly? Start over? That's what he asks. Shall I enter again into my mother's womb when I'm old? Seems logical. But I'm not so much concerned with the question as I am the action of Nicodemus. I'm afraid we live in a world where people say they got it when they don't got it. You ever? My brother Brian, he works at the college, he never deals with this, I'm sure. I'm sure he would never deal with this. But for the sake of illustration, let's imagine for just a minute. You ever come across somebody and you're given instruction on how to do something? Oh yeah, I got it, I got it. And they go out and they do it the exact opposite way of way is right. That's where we live in. Oh, I got it. I've got it. I understand. And we'll go out and we'll try to figure it out on our own when we don't got it. I was more interested in Nicodemus' attitude that he asked the question to begin with. He understood enough to know he didn't understand. Sometimes the best thing we can do is throw up our hands and say, Lord, I don't understand. Can you make that a little clearer? Joseph's in school. It's not going to do him any good if he acts like he knows it, but he really doesn't. Just like with you and I with God. There were those in John too. We see the contrast. They left. And they thought they had it. They thought they knew. But there was only one problem. They didn't know. Nicodemus gets out of the crowd, he comes to Christ, he says, Lord, I'm here to tell you, I don't know, I don't understand. Directed in treating, he asks a question. Lord, that don't make no sense. How am I supposed to be born again? We got a little white, just went to school, Ain't no way little Wyatt can go back into Stacey's belly and be born again. It ain't the way it works. So Christ gives him an example. Or an explanation. He gives him an explanation. From verse 5, really down through a lot of the rest of the chapter, but down through verse 15 is where we will deal with we see a defining explanation. Because without the help of God, we cannot hope to understand the spiritual things He gives us. There's no way Nicodemus is walking out of this conversation understanding what God said without God speaking a little longer. So that's what we see in verse 5. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of flesh is flesh. that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth. So is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel? And knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, we speak that we do not know, and testify that we have seen, and ye receive not our witness. If I told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things? No man ascendeth up to heaven. But he that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man which is in heaven. I was interested in these last two verses here, verse 14 and verse 15. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. A defining explanation. Christ here begins to explain what he meant when he told Nicodemus he must be born again. He describes what is needed in faith and what is needed in action. To be born again, you have to have both. You have to have faith and you have to have action. He says you have to believe what I'm telling you. If you can't believe the little things I'm saying, how are you ever going to believe in the big things? If you don't believe me about the earthly stuff, you're not going to believe me about the spiritual. But then you see down in verse 14 and 15, I was interested in that, that he would use Moses as the illustration. The children of Israel are in the valley. And Elissa would love this time period. And they all got bit by snakes. And they died. God told Moses to create a serpent and hold it up. And anybody that looked on the serpent would be healed. He says, even as they did, So must you. He said, if you're going to get in, you have to have faith that I can get you there for one. Helps to have faith in the one doing the action there. But then I have to actually put into practice, I have to put into action my faith that God has given me. And I have to believe it. I have to actively believe it. Is that not what it says? In fact, you go to the next verse, probably the most famous verse in the Bible. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, whosoever believeth on Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. There is an action to being born again. That once he moves in my direction, I've got to move back in his. I've got to have faith that he can do it. And then I've got to put into practice the belief that he can do it. I'm here today in action of that believing. You are here today in action of that believing. If you didn't believe it, you wouldn't be here. Right? Is that a fair assessment? If you're born again? He gives us a defining explanation. He says, that which is born of flesh is flesh, that which is born of spirit is spirit. They're two separate things on two separate fields. And one does not mingle with the other. I cannot be born of flesh and go to heaven at all. Only those that are born of the Spirit. And he says, in order to do that, you have to do like they did with Moses. Except instead of looking at a snake, you're looking at a Savior. And you're believing that He can save you. He's come in your direction. He's come to this earth. The Son of Man has come down out of heaven for you. And we see with this, Nicodemus' conversion. It's not talked about here. We don't see a profession of faith from Nicodemus. We don't see him pray a little prayer. So why would we say that Nicodemus was converted? Remember? We have to have faith that he's telling the truth. We also have to have action to move in his direction. Go to John chapter 7, if I can find it really quickly. Remember Nicodemus has come to Christ by night. He is a member of the Sanhedrin. He is a member of the religious rulers of the day. Verse 47, Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers of the Pharisees believed on him? But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed. Now look who shows up. Nicodemus saith unto them, look at what it says, he that come to Jesus by night being one of them. He begins to speak. Doth our law judge any man before it hear him and know what he doth? They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search and look, for out of Galilee arises no prophet. Nicodemus is now standing in the midst of those he was afraid of in John 3. And he is publicly defending what Christ is doing. John chapter 19, verse 38. After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus. And Pilate gave him leave, and he came, therefore, and took the body of Jesus. Verse 39. And there came also Nicodemus, which at first... Notice that. Look at that little word. At first came to Jesus by night and brought a mixture. of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pound weight. Then took they the body of Jesus and wound it in linen clothes and with spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury." Old Nicodemus. So how do you know Nicodemus got converted? By his actions. I've had a whole lot of people tell me they were saved and their life bore absolutely no fruit. In fact, they live more like hell than most lost people. But then there's been some that have never really mentioned it. But all of a sudden you begin to see something different in their life. Oh, Nicodemus, it says it both times, he's mentioned Nicodemus that first came to Jesus by night But there came a day that he stood for Him in the midst of the light He was no longer ashamed to be seen with Christ In fact, he's standing in the midst of those who would accuse him defending the very one who had a divine appointment with him around a fire in John chapter 3. I'm saying there's a divine conversion. Have you had a divine appointment with Christ? Have you had that point in your life to where Christ came into your atmosphere there and began to explain to you exactly what you needed? You must be born again. If you've never had that, I would seriously have a checkup. Because more than likely, if Christ has never dealt with you, It doesn't really matter what you've said. You're more than likely lost. Because in order to get there, he has to draw. I cannot get to God in and of myself. In fact, the Bible says there, I believe it's in the book of Matthew, there'll be many in that day that say, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? Have we not done many wonderful works? Have we not done this? Have we not done that? He says, depart from me, ye workers of iniquity, for I never, what does he say? I never knew you. You can know all about God, but if he don't know you, it's not gonna help you. The devil knows all about God, doesn't he? He knows all about him. The demons of hell know all about God. But it doesn't help them, because it's only those that God knows. Has He moved in your direction? Has He committed Himself unto you? If not, today might be a day that the Lord is dealing in your heart, and He's letting you know that you don't have it. Oh, you might have said a few words when you were a kid, you might have got baptized. But without a change of life, without a change of faith, without Christ moving in your direction, I dare say we probably don't have it. With Nicodemus, we notice evidence of his conversion. I've never seen somebody that truly got saved that it didn't change them forever. I've seen it change them and they run the other way, but it changed them nonetheless. You cannot show me one example in the Bible where God, Christ, met with anybody that they did not leave changed. Nicodemus got converted. The woman at the well got converted. The rich young ruler, what did he do? He went away sorrowful. Changed him. Because you cannot encounter Christ that it does not change who you are. What you do with what he tells you will determine the outcome. Will you be like Nicodemus in the divine appointment and throw up your hands and say, Lord, I don't even know what I'm supposed to ask, but here I am? Or will we be like that rich young ruler and turn away and go a different direction? I'll figure it out. It might be That you and I as believers, those of us that are saved, have a divine appointment that we're to keep with somebody else. We're to meet around the fire in the darkness of the night. To give the message, you must be born again. Are you willing? Am I willing? to keep my divine appointments. Both in the receiving and the giving. If Nicodemus had not been on the receiving end of it, if he had not been willing to be there, he would have missed it. Christ was there. It was offered. He was open. But Nicodemus still had to go and receive what Christ had for him. What about you this morning? These ideas of divine appointments. What are you going to do with it? What does your date book look like with God? Are you keeping your appointments? Or are you avoiding your appointments? There have been days that I have desired to be like Adam and Eve and I have tried to be like Adam and Eve. They had an appointment with God, didn't they? They're in the book of Genesis. God came down but they weren't there because they were hiding. There have been days that I felt like hiding. There have been days I have wanted to hide. But I sure am glad that I've got a God that He likes divine appointments. And if I'm willing to go to them, if I'm willing to be present, something big might just happen. For Nicodemus, it was a divine conversion. For the woman at the well, it was a divine conversation. Lord willing, we'll look at some more divine appointments in the coming weeks. He sure is good at what He does. And He knows how to get us where we need to be exactly when we need to be there. I'll leave you with this. If she can come to the piano, play something softly. Are you willing to come to your divine appointment? Are you willing to put into practice the faith and action that is required to get where God would have you to go? Both are required. For Nicodemus it had to be faith, that he knew more than the Sanhedrin, that he knew more than the religious, that he was who he said he was, son of God. Then he had to put it into practice, he had to make it an action. He publicly defended Christ. In John 7, he came and he took the body of Jesus down in John 19. He brought a bunch of spices and anointed the body of Christ. Wrapped Him in His grave clothes and put Him in the tomb. That's a long ways from somebody that comes in the middle of the night. How's your boldness today when it comes to the things of God? When God gives you opportunity to spread His Word, when God sets you around a fire, are you willing to spread the Word of God? It might be that you're the one that needs the Word of God. Are you willing to be receptive to His Word? Christ comes to you and He says, here's what you need. Will you stick around and throw up your hands and say, Lord, I don't understand, but I'm not leaving. Like the rich man, will you go away sorrowful? I'm sure glad Nicodemus stayed by the fire. Wouldn't that be an interesting conversation when we get to heaven? I don't know if we'll get to have conversations with these saints of old. It would be neat if we did. Just to get to ask Him what was going through your mind here in this episode. Divine conversion. Something that is born of God, not of flesh, cannot be had unless we believe on the Lord Jesus. She's going to keep playing for just a minute. The Lord's dealing with you. Come to the fire. Come take a seat. He's wanting to talk to you. Don't miss it for fear. Don't miss it for embarrassment. I'm sure thankful for a God that keeps His appointments today. He's good at what He does. I'm sure glad that there was a day that He come to where I was. He began to tell me how He wanted to work in my life. I sure am thankful for those words of the gospel. 25 years later, I'm still getting to practice faith and action of what He did all those years ago. What a privilege. to get to stand and proclaim the goodness of God and His love for you and His love for me. I noticed something there in the last part of John chapter 7. Nicodemus speaks and he only says just a few little words. But it was enough to shut him up and send him to the house. Amazing how that boldness came after that dark encounter with Christ. you you