Jesus' Solution for Our Lives and World By Glenn Kenadjian

A Solution for What? Many things are not right in our world and lives We lack harmony and often don’t have peace Why is this?

A Biblical Diagnosis At heart, something is wrong in all of us We can do good things, but we also have corrupted desires and can do bad things (i.e., we have problems in our actions and hearts) We all contribute toward disharmony and pain in our world and in our own lives

How do we respond to this problem? Don’t worry about it, focus on other things Look for solutions Most common response Usually just focus on obtaining personal satisfaction But disharmony remains, and the satisfactions we find do not last Jesus claimed to have the solution Let’s look at what he said in a conversation with a man named Nicodemus

Nicodemus Meets Jesus John 3 1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

About Nicodemus John 3 1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Pharisees were Jews-- Highly educated and scholarly Careful in ethics Extremely Religious

About Nicodemus John 3 1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” An important leader High social status

About Nicodemus John 3 1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Why do you think he came to Jesus at night?

About Nicodemus John 3 1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Believed Jesus was a teacher come from God

Jesus’ Teaching 3     Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus’ Reaction 4     Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” He asks a “how” question Startled Uncomprehending

Jesus Repeats his Teaching 5     Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Repeats his emphasis of “Truly, Truly” Repeats “Unless . . . cannot . . .”—a necessary condition

Side Note about the Kingdom of God It is where God reigns and all is in harmony with him (results in harmony with everyone and everything else too) It is experienced in full in heaven But it can be experienced to some degree now

Jesus Elaborates 6   That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7  Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Jesus Elaborates 6   That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7  Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 1st birth: Flesh to flesh (physical birth/life)

Jesus Elaborates 6   That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7  Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 1st birth: Flesh to flesh (physical birth/life) 2nd birth: Spirit to spirit (spiritual birth/life)

Jesus Elaborates 6   That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7  Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 1st birth: Flesh to flesh (physical birth/life) 2nd birth: Spirit to spirit (spiritual birth/life) The second birth comes from God’s Spirit

Jesus Elaborates 6   That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7  Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 1st birth: Flesh to flesh (physical birth/life) 2nd birth: Spirit to spirit (spiritual birth/life) The second birth comes from God’s Spirit You cannot observe God’s Spirit directly or know where he will act next, but sometimes people can sense when he is working

Jesus Elaborates 6   That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7  Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 1st birth: Flesh to flesh (physical birth/life) 2nd birth: Spirit to spirit (spiritual birth/life) The second birth comes from God’s Spirit You cannot observe God’s Spirit directly or know where he will act next, but sometimes people can sense when he is working Note: Jesus makes it personal!

Nicodemus' Second Question 9     Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” He asks another “how” question Astonishment, but more than astonishment How can this come to be, i.e., occur?

Jesus' Reply 10     Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? First, Jesus says you should already know about this. Implies this teaching was in the Old Testament

Likely Old Testament Reference Ezekiel 36:25-28 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Likely Old Testament Reference Ezekiel 36:25-28 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. God is promising He will cleanse people from their uncleannesses (what makes people unacceptable to God)

Likely Old Testament Reference Ezekiel 36:25-28 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. God is promising He will cleanse people from their uncleannesses He will put a new spirit within them (i.e., Spirit gives birth to spirit)

Likely Old Testament Reference Ezekiel 36:25-28 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. God is promising He will cleanse people from their uncleannesses He will put a new spirit within them He will give people a new heart—not stony / insensitive, but responsive

Jesus' Reply (continued) 11  Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12  If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13  No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.

Jesus' Reply (continued) 11  Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12  If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13  No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. Next, Jesus says he knows what he is talking about. (How does he know about heavenly matters?)

Jesus' Reply (continued) 11  Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12  If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13  No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. Next, Jesus says he knows what he is talking about He says he knows about heavenly matters because he came from heaven

Jesus' Reply (continued still) 14  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15  that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. Finally Jesus answers the question, “How can this be / occur?”

Jesus' Reply (continued still) 14  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15  that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. Finally Jesus answers the question, “How can this be / occur?” He starts with a story from the Old Testament

Story of Moses' Lifting the Serpent Numbers 21 4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” The Israelite people had been freed from slavery in Egypt by God and had witnessed many miracles. (God chose them to be his witnesses to the world)

Story of Moses' Lifting the Serpent Numbers 21 4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” The Israelite people had been freed from slavery in Egypt by God and had witnessed many miracles. After all God had done for them, how did they respond?

6  Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. God judged and punished them

7  And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

7  And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. The people acknowledged their sin They asked Moses to pray to God for them to take away the serpents.

8  And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” 9  So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

8  And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” 9  So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live. God did not take away the serpents Instead he gave a remedy for the fatal consequences of their punishment. As people followed God’s remedy, they were saved

Jesus' Reply (continued still) 14  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15  that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. How we can have eternal life is like what happened in this story. (Eternal life is everlasting life in God’s kingdom. To enter, we must be born again.)

Exploring the Analogy People in Moses’ Day People in Our Day Had sinned, and were facing impending death God provided a cure for their punishment-he had Moses lift up a statue Have sinned, and facing impending eternal death God provided a cure for our punishment-he had the Son of Man lifted up

Exploring the Analogy People in Moses’ Day People in Our Day Whoever looked to God’s provision was healed by God and lived Whoever looks to God’s provision gets a new birth from God into eternal life

Jesus' Reply (continued still) 14  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15  that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. Jesus says this happens through believing in him Not just believe that Believe in = trust your whole life with The French tightrope walker Blondin asked a crowd if they believed he could carry a man on a rope over Niagra Falls. They said YES! Then he asked, “Who will volunteer?” This is “believe in.”

Concluding Remarks 16  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Concluding Remarks 16  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. God’s motive—love

Concluding Remarks 16  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. God’s motive—love God’s provision—gave his only son

Concluding Remarks 16  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. God’s motive—love God’s provision—gave his only son God’s reason—that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life

Concluding Remarks 16  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. God’s motive—love God’s provision—gave his only son God’s reason—that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life God’s ultimate end—the world may be saved

Overall Summary

Jesus' Solution for Our Lives & World What Is It? A New Birth for a New Life Not an improvement of our old nature but an implantation of a new spiritual nature/life from God

Jesus' Solution for Our Lives & World Who Needs Jesus’ Solution? According to Jesus, Everyone Even the most moral and intellectual and religious

Jesus' Solution for Our Lives & World Why Do We Need It? To Enter God’s Kingdom / Have Eternal Life We have all done wrong and our natures are corrupted This results in 1) God’s condemnation and 2) alienation / disharmony with God, with others and in ourselves The new spiritual birth results in 1) reconciliation with God and 2) real personal transformation as this new spiritual life in God’s kingdom is cultivated This is God’s way to save people and the world

Jesus' Solution for Our Lives & World How Do We Experience Jesus’ Solution? By Believing in Jesus Involves recognizing your need Involves believing that Jesus is God’s provision for your need Involves entrusting your whole life with Jesus (willingly submitting yourself to God’s kingdom)

Jesus' Solution for Our Lives & World When Does It Happen? New life begins when you respond to the Spirit’s initiative and trust in Jesus God’s spirit “blows where he wishes” You sense yourself being attracted to Jesus You respond with trusting yourself with Jesus The new birth happens then, but it is just the start Fuller transformation happens with time and ongoing trust in God Changes show new life is present

Responses Don’t Believe It Now: Believe It Now: Is there some attraction though? If no, thanks for listening. If yes, look into it more. Maybe God is drawing you. Have you already put your trust in Jesus? If yes, keep growing in your relationship. If no, talk with someone about doing this.

Discussion Questions Do you agree something is wrong in all of us—we have corrupted desires and do wrong? If so, how big a problem do you think this is? What questions do you have about Jesus’ solution for our lives and world? If you don’t mind sharing, what response do you have to Jesus’ solution?