R1597 The Only Way

In some situations, there are multiple paths to get to the same end. But today, Dr. Wilton talks about the only way. In just a moment, you'll get a fresh perspective on the interaction between Jesus and Nicodemus as today's message, The Only Way, comes in just a few moments. Dr. Don wants you to know that we're available for you. We're connecting 24 hours a day on this phone number, 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673 and online at www.tewonline.org. As a matter of fact, while you're there, I encourage you to sign up for the daily encouraging word email, a bit of God's Word, a bit of insight, a bit of application.

It's a wonderful way to start your day. Sign up online right now at www.tewonline.org for the daily encouraging word email. Now, let's open our hearts and God's Word together with Dr. Don Wilson. I should imagine that most believers, if not many pseudo-believers, and most people who think they are believers, would immediately know about John chapter 3. John chapter 3 has the most wonderful verse in, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Now, here's the part, Whosoever believeth in Him shall not die, but will receive eternal life. There is mass confusion in America about what it means to be a saved person, what it means to be a Christian. There's never been such mass confusion as there is today.

Everybody's got an opinion. Everyone. What is a Christian?

Who? How do you become a Christian? What qualifies me as a believer, as a Christian man? Is it the church that I go to?

Is it a prayer that I pray? Is it the money that I give to poor people? Is it the fact that I'm a good man? Is it because of my birth where I'm born? Perhaps it's because I'm a preacher.

I'm a man of the cloth. Or maybe it's because I've only ever been married to one woman. I've never been divorced. Or maybe it's just because God loves everybody anyway. Of course, He loves everybody. Because He loves everybody, there's no way that He could ever exclude anybody.

It's mass confusion. This Sunday and next Sunday, God has put in my heart two messages that I'm praying. Only God by His Holy Spirit is going to cause you to pay attention to. And it matters not if you're a member of my church, or if you can recite the Lord's Prayer, or if you're a good person, you've got a wonderful family, good citizen, whether you fought in all the wars and you're one of our true heroes, there's a movement sweeping across our church. It's called Soaping, S-O-A-P. It began with one of our younger fathers, Hal Foster, has gotten into the ranks of our men, led by Dr. Eric Kirkendall.

Our young people are involved, our children are involved, and I encourage you to get involved. Literally, what it means is that you're going to take a passage of Scripture, and you're going to read the Bible. What does the Bible say? Soap, Scripture, and you're going to observe what it says, what the Bible says, not what Don says, not what the Pope says, not what your church says, the Bible says. What does God say?

You're going to apply that in your own life, and then you are going to pray about it, because you've got to do business with it. Something happened here in the New Testament. A man came to see Jesus, and an extraordinary event took place, but this was no ordinary man. His name was Nicodemus. I'm going to just read to you a few verses. So I'm in John chapter 3 and verse 1. Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus.

He was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night, and he said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform the miraculous science that you are doing if God were not with him. In reply, Jesus declared, Nicodemus, I tell you the truth. No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. How can a man be born when he is old?

Nicodemus asked. Surely he cannot enter the second time into his mother's womb to be born. Jesus answered and said, truly, I tell you the truth. No one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and of the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying. You must be born again. The wind blows wherever it pleases.

You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. This issue of salvation was a great perplexion for this very religiously qualified man.

Nobody disputes that. He was a member of the Jewish ruling council. If he lived in America today, you and I in all honesty would have no doubt saying this has got to be a fine Christian gentleman. He had all the trappings. He went to church, studied the law and the prophets. He observed the commandments. In all likelihood, he gave his money to the poor. He did everything he could check off most every box, and yet he came to Jesus. This man did. You will be interested to know that if you are looking at the temple mound in Jerusalem today, where the dome of the rock is, the golden dome, then you were to look from there down onto the garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus was to go and he was to pray and to say, Father, remove this cup from me.

Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done. That was the place where Judas betrayed Jesus, remember? And then they arrested him and they led him away to be crucified. Right there at the base of that garden, there is a series of huge caves.

Some of them are so deep, I mean, they go down, you can hardly see the bottom. I have personally and people who have been with me many times gone down into these caves and it was in one of these caves that this took place because that's where Jesus went so often to go and spend the night. And it was private. He was protected. There were no crowds to harass him and Nicodemus, who was one of the leading people who had access, who had permission, he could do most things that he wanted. He came to Jesus, came at nighttime.

He came at nighttime because the question that he was about to ask would have created a big problem. If those around him had heard him say that, they would have said, what, are you questioning all of us? Nobody likes to be questioned about their church attendance. Nobody likes somebody to question their faith. Nobody likes to be confronted about their relationship with God.

So what must we do? We've got to go to the Word of God because this affects us. Jesus knew that our salvation affects us. Your relationship with Jesus will affect you and it will affect you in three ways. It will affect who you are. My relationship with Jesus affects who I am because when Jesus came into my life, when I was born again of the Spirit of God, I became a changed man. The old had passed away. Oh, I still struggle.

We still deal with all the issues, don't we? But I'm a changed man. You're a changed person. It will affect who you are in your soul spirit.

That ugliness will leave you. You'll become a kind person, a giving person, a compassionate person, someone who understands what real love is. You're going to be far less inclined to hit back, to assassinate, to use four letter words, to behave badly, to throw caution to the wind.

You're going to be far less inclined to do that. That's not something because you're a changed person. You're different because the Spirit of God lives in you. You cannot behave the way you behave and claim to be a Christian at the same time. It doesn't work that way according to the Word of God. Jesus knew how important this was. I'm not trying to put words into his mouth, but in a sense, Jesus was saying, Nicodemus, I understand who you are, but you must be born again. You've got to be born of the Spirit. It's not good enough that you were born just of water, that you were born of your mother. It's not good enough that you're alive because you were born in sin, because of the sin of Adam.

You were conceived in sin. You must be born again because it's going to affect you. It's going to affect who you are. It's going to affect the way you live. It's going to affect the way you live.

My relationship with Jesus Christ affects the way I live, everything, the way I live out my life. People ask me today repeatedly, who am I going to vote for in the election? I don't bring politics into the pulpit, but I'm going to tell you, I'm going to tell you unequivocally who I vote for in November is governed by who I am and the way I live because I've been born again of the Spirit of the living God.

I want to know what God says. That's how I'm going to vote. I know I'm not voting for America's preacher. Are you kidding me?

Show me one president who has been. But it affects the way I live. It affects me because I believe.

I believe in life. It bothers me that we murder 60 million babies. That bothers me. Why does it bother me? Because Christ lives in me.

That's why it bothers me. And it affects the way I live. Not any affects who you are and the way you live, but it affects where you're going.

It affects where I'm going. Because I've been born again of the Spirit. I know that I'm going to heaven to be with the Lord Jesus. I don't know when that will be. You don't know when that will be. But it could be today. Jesus is coming back. People out here are suggesting that there's never been a greater time for the imminent return of Jesus. In the fall I'm going to be doing a series here.

It's going to be dealing with these subjects. Are you ready? What Jesus was saying to Nicodemus. It doesn't matter that you're a member of the ruling council. You must be born again. Because nobody who has not been born again of the Spirit of the living God can enter the kingdom of God.

Mass confusion. So what exactly did Jesus say to Nicodemus? This is what Jesus said. I've just summarized it for you. This is what Jesus said.

I put it into five very easy things to remember. This is what Jesus said to Nicodemus. Forgive the interruption. We'll be back with The Only Way, today's message from Dr. Don Wilton in just a moment. But Dr. Don insists I remind you we're here for you.

We would love to talk with you, pray with you. We can do that on the phone at 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673. Or online at TEWOnline.org. That's TEWOnline.org.

Also the place you'll find wonderful resources like this. We are living in a rapidly changing world. What is this new normal today? How do we as believers hold firm? How do we press on? We press on by resting in the safeguards of our faith. When you have a history of God's faithfulness in your heart and spirit, you can walk boldly and unflinchingly through the midst of trouble.

Why? Because God has proven himself to you. With your gift of support to the encouraging word this month, you will receive Dr. Wilton's faith-building message, the safeguards of our faith. This four-message set will help equip you to stand firm on the foundation of Jesus Christ in these not-so-new normal days. Call us at 866-899-WORD and request the safeguards of our faith, available on CD or DVD today. The encouraging word is a viewer and listener-supported ministry. Thank you for listening today.

I hope you'll consider getting that wonderful safeguards resource, but know that we're here for you at 866-899-WORD and tewonline.org. Now back to The Only Way with Dr. Don. So what exactly did Jesus say to Nicodemus? This is what Jesus said. I've just summarized it for you. This is what Jesus said.

I put it into five very easy things to remember. This is what Jesus said to Nicodemus. Number one, he said, the Holy Spirit, Nicodemus, will reach out to you. The Holy Spirit.

This is how it happens. The Holy Spirit will reach out to you. This is the work of God. God is the initiator by the Holy Spirit. He's going to reach out to you.

He's going to describe how that happens. Number two, the Holy Spirit will actually touch you. And Jesus uses the illustration of the wind. Every now and again as I stand up here, I feel just a little draught, just a little breeze.

You feel the same way. Jesus wanted Nicodemus to understand this. He wanted Nicodemus to know that when the Holy Spirit reaches out to you, he will touch you. You'll feel him.

Number three, the Holy Spirit will convict you. When you feel that touch, that wind. And by the way, don't try to spend your life trying to figure out where it comes from.

God's told us it comes from him. It's like today, in all likelihood, we had a massive earth tremor. And I was sitting in my office when it happened.

I don't know where it came from. Seismologists can explain things a lot better than I can. But I felt the effects of it. Someone perhaps could tell me, oh no, listen, that was a figment of your imagination. I want you to know I felt it. Someone's going to write me a letter today and say, preacher, I've never heard such a wild imagination.

Nothing happened. I'm just going to tell you, I felt it. The building shook. I don't know where it came from, how it got there, why it picked on me sitting in my office at First Baptist Church in downtown Spartanburg, but I'm going to tell you, I felt it. Have you felt the Holy Spirit?

You're sitting in front of your television set. You just felt him. You've been touched by the wind. He's convicting you. And when the Holy Spirit convicts you, he convicts you of your sin. You immediately see God for who he is. And as soon as you see God for who he is, you see yourself as who you are, a sinner in need of a Saviour. Number four, Jesus was telling him, Nicodemus, the Holy Spirit will enter you. He'll not only reach out to you and touch you and convict you, but he'll enter you.

He'll come into you. I can't explain that. How do I explain that? You ever tried to explain that?

You don't need to explain it. You just know it. The Holy Spirit will come into you. He'll get inside you.

He won't just touch you on the outside. When you give your heart and life to Christ, he comes into you. He inhabits you.

He takes up residence in you. And then number five, as a result of that, he will save you. That's what Jesus was telling Nicodemus. He said, when the Holy Spirit enters you, you're born again. He'll save you. You now qualify to enter the kingdom of heaven. Later on in that great passage, he says, I mean, over and over and over again, everyone, verse 15, who believes in him, everyone who believes in him has eternal life. Writing later in 1 John chapter 5, you've got the Son of God in your heart and life.

You have life. That's the means. That's what qualifies you. It's not the prayer you pray. It's not the message you preach. It's not the goodness you exude. It's not the money that you give. Jesus said, Nicodemus, you must be born again.

And here's how it happens. This is what Jesus said, not what the church said, not what the bishop said, not what the priest said, not what Dr. Wilton said, not what Billy Graham said. This is what Jesus said.

Jesus told it to a man like this. I wish he had told somebody far less, don't you? I wish Jesus had chosen somebody who was just a renegade, a crook, a scoundrel. I wish he had spoken to somebody who had cheated on his wife. I wish he had spoken to somebody who said, no way do I give my money to that church.

I wish he had spoken to somebody who, I mean, I just read, but why Nicodemus? Why pick on me, Lord? Why pick on America?

Why pick on us? What are you saying to the church in America? Your salvation, my friend, will affect who you are. It will affect the way you live, and it will affect where you are going.

So this is what Jesus said to John. May I submit to you this is what we must do. Four things. Number one, anticipate. Anticipate the wind.

Look for it. Pray, God, right now that that wind's gonna blow on you. It's another subject altogether, but the Bible says that we can sin away our day of grace. I actually believe what God's Word says. The Bible tells us that there comes a time in a person's life where God says that's it.

Is that you? Anticipate, pray, seek, cry out. Ask God to send the wind of his Holy Spirit. Number two, feel. Feel.

The wind blows. Acknowledge the touch of the Holy Spirit. Say, yes, Lord, you are God. I don't know about you. I don't understand. I'm mad. I'm upset.

But I know that you're touching me. Stop the fight. Stop resisting. Lay down the argument. Stop trying to confront God with all your goodness.

Stop trying to convince God that he's got to accept you because he loves everybody. Acknowledge, feel. Number three, respond.

Here's your key, isn't it? The Bible says, call on me. And here's how you respond. You respond to that wind, to the Spirit, because he's convicting you. You repent of your sin. You confess that sin to Jesus. That's how you respond. Lord, I know that I'm a sinner and I respond to you and I receive you into my heart.

It's the most beautiful thing. You know what God wanted Nicodemus to do? Just lay it all down.

Just back off, man. Some of you trying to argue your way into heaven. God doesn't accept that.

Just lay it down. Stop debating with God. Stop trying to figure him out with all your brilliant theology. Stop chasing after theologians all across America and setting themselves, setting them up as gods in your life. Listen to what Jesus said.

What must we do? Anticipate. Look for it. Pray. Cry out to the Lord. Feel it. Feel the Spirit. Respond.

And here's the final one. When you respond to him, depend. Depend on him. God does it. If you right now are saying, but I just don't know how I'm going to do this.

That's another argument. Just lay that down. I promise you, because when the Spirit of God enters you, he does it for you because he's in you. Greater is he that's in me than the one that's in the world. That's what the Spirit of God does. Isn't that fantastic? That's a Christian man. That's a Christian woman, the Spirit of God. Would you bow your heads with me today?

Every head bowed. Would you like to give your life to Christ? I knew you would.

This is it. The wind is blowing. Would you pray this prayer with me today? Dear God, I feel the wind, and I know it's you. I lay all my arguments down, and I repent of my sin, confess to you, and I put my faith and trust in you today. As I pray that prayer, the Holy Spirit is actually moving from touching you outside to coming inside.

Right now, that's what's happening. You're going to say, well, pastor, can you explain that? I can't explain it, but you'll know it.

You'll know. You may be Nicodemus. You may be Mrs. Nicodemus.

You may be a renegade, a robber, and a thief. But today, you felt the wind of God. And what's happening to you is you're going to be affected from now on who you are, the way you live, and where you're going. It's done, because Christ has done it.

You've been listening to Dr. Don Wilton, and in my mind, my highlighter has gone bananas over many things he said, but the last four words are the most important. Christ has done it. Whatever you think that you need to do in order to come to Jesus as Savior and Lord, He has done it.

You just need to accept it. There was a simple illustration my grandmother used years and years ago about the idea of having a present wrapped up and beautifully sitting on the kitchen table, and you never receive it, open it, and make it your own. It's worthless, even though it could be a billion dollars or titanium or whatever is the most valuable thing that could be wrapped up on your kitchen table. The most valuable thing is the gift of eternal life. Every week, Dr. Don reminds us of this, and I pray that you don't miss it today, because just because you're listening to a Christian podcast or a Christian radio station doesn't mean that you belong to Jesus.

I was a member of a church for a long time before I belonged to Jesus, and it started with saying yes. I'd love to lead you in a prayer that would help you say that yesterday. Lord Jesus, I believe in you. I know you died on the cross for my sins, and as best I know how, I turn my back on my past, and I turn to you, Jesus. Save me. In your precious name, I pray.

Amen. We would love to speak with you. Our phone number is 866-899-WORD. Once you give us a call, 866-899-9673 or online at www.tewonline.org.