Welcome to PowerPoint with Jack Graham. I'm not asking you if you're a Catholic. I'm not asking you if you're Protestant. I'm asking you what Jesus said to Nicodemus: that he says to all of us: have you been born again? On today's PowerPoint, Dr.
Graham brings a message about how your life changes forever when Christ is born in you.
Now here's Doctor Graham with his message. Born to die, that man may live. Today's message is a vital message. It concerns the new birth. Jesus came to earth so that we could go to heaven.
He was born so that we must. And may be born again. Are you? Born again. You say, I don't even know.
exactly what that means.
Well, we're going to look at what that means today. And right out of God's word in John chapter... 3. Jesus said to Nicodemus, You must be born again. And it's all found in the first seven verses of John's Gospel, chapter 3.
Let's start at verse 1.
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus. And this man, Nicodemus, A ruler, a religious man. He was a Pharisees. He kept all of the laws of Israel and then some. This man came to Jesus by night.
People question as to why he came at night.
Some people want to make a big deal that he came at night because he was afraid to come in the daylight. Afraid of criticism. Afraid of his peers, what they might say. Anxious, afraid.
So he came. By night. I question. That. I believe Nicodemus came to Jesus by night, number one, because this was the time.
After dinner, have you ever had nice after dinner conversations? After dinner, in particular, Jewish men and Middle Eastern men to this very day have coffee or conversations after dinner.
So it was a normal time for a casual one-on-one. Nicodemus had seen the miracles of Jesus and the crowds that were gathering and being a ruler of the Jews and, of course, interested in these things. There were rumors that Jesus was the Messiah. And so he wanted to know. He was a sincere seeker, I believe.
And He came to Jesus by night, therefore, because he truly wanted to know. And he had questions. They couldn't wait until the next day. Have you ever had a question like that? Just something that was stirring in you.
There's an urgency in this. And he said to him, back to verse 2, Rabbi. We know that you are a teacher come from God.
So far, so good, except he didn't go far enough, he didn't know yet. Who Jesus really is. Jesus was not a teacher come from God, He was God who came to teach. But he said, no one could do these signs, signs meaning miracles that you do, unless God. is with him.
So far, so good as well. He knew God was with Jesus. But what he didn't know that God was and is Jesus. Jesus answered him, Truly, truly, I say to you, And when Jesus says truly, truly, Verily, verily, for sure, for sure. Pay attention, pay attention.
Listen, listen. He said Unless one is born Again. He cannot see the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God, meaning the rule of God in heaven and earth. 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. Good question. Nicodemus must have been an older man. He's lived a long time.
But there's still Something raging in him, a restlessness, if you will. He didn't know if he knew the truth or all of it. He didn't know who Jesus was exactly, and he wanted. To know, and then Jesus just cuts right to the chase, and he says, You. Yes, you, Nicodemus, religious man, righteous man, good man, a godly man.
A law-keeping man. You. must be born again. With that the urgency and And the um The essential. that Nicodemus must have a second birth.
He said, how's that possible? I'm an old man.
Some of you may be looking back over your life. And you're thinking. Is it even possible? To begin again. How can I, who have lived so long, And maybe for some who've lived so wrong.
How's it possible? To get a new start. But of course, Jesus was talking about something more than just a new start. He's talking about a new birth, something that is transformational, not just transactional.
So, Nicodemus, he's wondering, he says, can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? I like Deceived, said that's a problem for me. And Jesus answered in verse 5. Truly, truly, there it is again. Listen, listen, listen.
I say to you, unless one is born of the water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Now, some theologians and Bible scholars do gymnastics on what does the water mean and what does the spirit mean? What is water? What is spirit? I believe it's evident. Water refers to natural birth, physical birth, what happens when the water breaks.
The birth happens. Born of water, physical birth, and born of the spirit, spiritual birth. Unless you're born physically. and spiritually. In other words, a second birth, a new birth.
You cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. It's been said, if you are born but once, you will die twice. You will die physically and you will die eternally apart from God. But if you are born twice, you have experienced not only natural birth and physical birth, but spiritual birth. This new birth, you will only die once, and that's physical death, because when you die, you won't die.
You'll be in heaven forever and ever with Christ. That's the new birth. Jesus explained further in verse 6, he said, That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit. is spirit, thus explaining What he meant when he said water and spirit. flesh and spirit.
And then verse 7, a famed. Verse in the Bible: Do not marvel, marvel not that I said to you, you must. Be born Again. Not an option. Who dreamed this up, this whole idea of the new birth?
Did the Baptists do this to us? Jesus said, do not Be amazed. Don't marvel. Nicodemus. You're talking about miracles here?
You like the miracles? You like the signs? You've seen the signs. You're interested in miracle.
Okay, Nicodemus, then become a miracle. Be born again. That's the miracle. and the miracle of the birth of Jesus Christ. Is for the miracle of your new birth in Christ.
And that's what he's teaching Nicodemus and telling all of us today. You must be born again. You must be born again. That's what Jesus said.
So before we take Any more steps in this passage? Let me ask you: have you been born again, regardless of your age or your country or your nationality, right here in this room? You could be like Nicodemus. You have a religion. You're a Baptist, or you're a Presbyterian, or you're Jewish, or you're Hindu, or you're some kind of religion, or you're a good person.
But I'm asking you, not: are you a Baptist? I'm not asking you if you're a Catholic. I'm not asking you if you're Jewish or Protestant. I'm asking you what Jesus said to Nicodemus: that he says to all of us. You must be born again.
Have you been born again? You say, well, how does that happen? Jesus tells us, scan down to verse 16. You have the Bible in one sentence in this verse. It's the entire alphabet of God, if you will.
And I want you to look at this verse if you've seen it many, many, many times. I want you to look at this verse. And when it comes to Christmas, when it comes to your life, Study this verse. Look at it more and more. Don't give up on John 3:16.
And if this is the first time you've seen it, John 3, 16, look at it. For God.
So loved. The world. I've often contemplated that little word SO.
So How much? Love. is in so Loved.
So Well, you can't measure it. It's height, its depth, its breadth, its length. The scripture said it's just so. Loved. Wide enough.
to include the whole world and It includes you as well.
Sometimes we Encourage people to put their name in this verse, and that's a good thing. You can say, for God so loved. Put your name there, Jack Graham. God so love. Deb Greb, God so love, put your name there.
And personalize it and make it your own. It's always good when it comes to scripture that you would. Personalize. God's Word. Make it your own.
For God so loved The world. That he gave his only son.
So the greatest gift of all is this gift. The gift of God's grace. The word grace means gift. And he gave his only son. A child is born, a son is given.
That whoever believes in him should not perish. And that word perish there is a stunning, startling. Scary work. perish because it actually means to keep on perishing, perishing and perishing and perishing and perishing and dying and dying and never. actually dying.
Jesus is speaking of the torment of life without God, a hopeless, Ending to life where there's nothing but hell and perishing.
So perishing, perishing. But instead of dying and never dying, now there is eternal. Life. And we read John 3:16 and we celebrate it. Oh, how we thank you, Lord, that John 3:16 is in the Bible.
If this was the only verse you had in all the Bible, it would be enough to save the whole world, and all who would come to Him. You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message. Born to die, that man may live. We're excited to share that we have a new way for you to connect with us. It's our texting service designed to keep you connected with everything happening here at PowerPoint.
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Now let's get back to today's message. Born to die, that man may live. But we often Stop there and don't look at verse 17. Because Jesus went on to say, For God did not send his Son into the world. The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
God sent his Son into the world to what? condemn the world. But in order that the world might be saved through him. Jesus did not come into the world. to condemn the world but to change the world.
Not to condemn you. but to change you. And this is how this new birth... That Nicodemus was hearing about, that we're hearing about. What must take place?
Jesus illustrated it. He illustrated it with the story that He told from the book of Numbers about the snakes that were biting the Hebrew children because of their unbelief and their sin against God. And Moses was given a solution to their sin. To their death, and that was to take a bronze serpent and put it on a pole and lift it up. Even to this day, the medical community, you can see this as a symbol of healing, the snake on a pole.
And Jesus tells this story of the snake on the pole in the Old Testament. And he says, just as that snake was lifted up high. And all who believed that all who looked would live. It's as simple as that. Jesus said, it's like that.
Look and live. Believe in God's Solution, and what is God's solution? A snake on a pole? What is the snake? Who is the snake?
Satan is the serpent. He is the snake. But here's what happened: God reversed the curse. The snake was on the pole. Jesus took our place, our sin.
We were bitten. We were dying. We were facing judgment. And hell. But Jesus took our place on the cross.
He was our substitute. He's the one, the brazen serpent. Brass in the Bible symbolizes judgment.
So Jesus was judged at the cross. Mary's little lamb was born to die. That was his mission all along. He knew it. And that's why he said, just as the serpent was lifted up, On the poll.
in the wilderness.
So must the Son of Man be lifted up. He's speaking then of his cross. He spoke to Nicodemus of the wind. You feel the wind? You feel the tug.
It's like A child with a with a kite. Yeah. The kite disappears into the clouds and/or the sky. It's a long way off.
Someone asked, a skeptic walked up and Said to the little boy, How do you know? That there's a kite on the end of that string. He says, I can feel the tug.
Sometimes people ask you, how do you know that there's a God? How do you know that this thing is real, that Jesus is the Lord? This is the tug of the Spirit in us. We know that we know. Because of the work of the Holy Spirit in us.
And Jesus says, it's like the wind. And I'm here to say to you today: the wind is blowing through your room. The wind of the Spirit of God is blowing through the stream. The wind of the Spirit of God is in this place. And that tug, which you sense deep within, is more than an emotion.
It's more than a feeling. It is the work of the Holy Spirit. Amen. And this spirit, God's spirit. is working in your life and the wind is blowing right now.
Jesus said, that's the work. of the Spirit. Loves You. Three monosyllabic words. God.
Loves. You. God loves. Me.
So simple and yet so Profound. I'm so grateful that I heard those words as a small child. Singing a Sunday school song. Jesus loves me this I know. For the Bible tells me so.
The great theologian Or the what I should say the renowned theologian, Karl Bart. was once asked by a scholar, what is the most profound thought Has ever entered the big brain in your head? What is the biggest thought Does ever come to your mind? Dr. Bart With all your knowledge.
What is it? Bart is reported to have said Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. is simply profound and profoundly Simple.
So Jesus said, You must be born again, and here's how God so loved that He gave His only Son, the great God of glory, came down to earth to love us up close. God has always loved you. There's never been a time that God has not loved you. Before you were born, God loved you. It's a good thing.
It was before you were born because he might not have loved you afterwards, someone said. No, even afterward, God loves you and He's loved you all along. He said, I've loved you with an everlasting love. But something happened that cut us off from God's love.
Now we're lost without direction. Under condemnation, without God, without hope. And you know when you're lost, if you ever. No doubt you've had the experience of being lost. physically and how disorienting it can be.
But if God seems far away to you, who do you think moved? We are Are like sheep that have gone astray. We've turned everyone into our own way. But the Lord laid on him, Jesus, all our iniquities, all our sins. And that's the point that Jesus is making, that I'm making to you today: that when we were lost, we are now found.
God came all of this way to find you. To rescue you. to redeem you. To recover you and to reconnect you with God. And that happens when we are born again by receiving God's gift.
You say, how do I How do I unwrap this gift? This gift. Sent from God, eternal, expensive. Extravagant. This gift sent from God.
was wrapped in rags, swaddling clothes, and laid lying in a manger.
So, how do you open the gift? Number one, By realizing you are not perfect.
Now I didn't have to come here to tell you that because you know it and I know it. And the Bible says there is none righteous, no, not one. We've all broken God's commandments. We've all sinned against God. But it starts there.
You can't change something until you confront it. And so, to be changed by the power of God, you must confront your own sin and confess it and say, Lord, I know that I need a Savior. I don't need more education. I don't need more Bible knowledge. I don't even need more church.
Lord, I need salvation. And so you recognize, you realize your spiritual condition that you only have one birth, and with that birth, you're going to die and die and die and die and never die. You need a second birth. And that second birth happens when we remember and realize who Jesus is: that He died, that He came to this earth. Born of a virgin, lived a perfect and sinless life, went to a cross, laid down his life like a snake on a pole.
He took our sin on the cross. He was buried, and on the third day he rose again. And this means that God is not only with us, Emmanuel, but God is for us. God is for you.
Somebody said that God is not mad at you, He's mad about you. He loves you. Isaiah said, Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow. Mary's little lamb. went to Calvary.
laid down his life. That's why we sing worthy is the Lamb. That's why we believe it. Jesus paid it all. And look, if Jesus paid it all, Then it's done.
You don't get charged a second time. That's why he says in this passage Therefore, He didn't come to condemn you, but to save you. Romans 8:1, write that down in the margin of that verse. We covered it in our Romans series. There is now, therefore, no condemnation to those who are in Jesus Christ.
You look in the mirror? And a lot of you are seeing a lot of condemnation. Shame and guilt. Failures and faults and foibles, flaws. You just look in the mirror.
Not one of us. It's always pleased with the Foolish decisions that we've made in life, and people live with all kinds of regrets and want to do over. We look in the mirror and we may see condemnation and You're standing there and you're feeling that. You hear the devil say, Condemned, condemned, condemned, condemned. But if you are in Christ.
There's no condemnation. There's no condemnation. There's no shame. Our guilt is covered by His grace and His blood. We are now white as the driven snow.
We are forgiven. No condemnation.
Now who are you going to believe? The devil? Are you going to believe Jesus on this? No condemnation.
To those who are in Christ Jesus. No judgment. No condemnation we can live for. This has to be. The most liberating, life-giving thought that we could imagine.
The most loving thing. that we could experience. Uh that we are in we are loved, that we are accepted in the beloved. No condemnation.
You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message: born to die, that man may live. With just a few days left in 2025, We want to invite you to give a year-end gift to help ensure PowerPoint steps into the next year of ministry in the strongest position possible. The good news is that a generous friend has provided a $250,000 matching grant, which means any year-end gift you give by December 31st will be doubled. Your tax-deductible year-end gift, doubled by the match, will take the message of peace in Christ into more homes, hearts, and lives than ever before. To give your gift, just text the word MACH to 59789.
That's MACH to 59789. We now have a texting service designed to keep you connected with everything happening here. Imagine getting all the latest news, inspirational devotionals, and helpful reminders for the Bible in a Year podcast, all delivered right to your phone. You'll be the first to know about upcoming events, special announcements, and truly enriching content. To join, start a new text conversation by texting CONNECT to 59-789.
You'll receive a reply back and you'll be added to our text group. Just text Connect to 59789. Pastor, what is your PowerPoint for today? Did you know that as a believer, God sees you as His son or daughter? It's true, and as a son or a daughter of the king you should be experiencing and enjoying your selected status as one of his very own.
We talked today about what it really means to be a child of God. And at a time when so many people need security in our world, this is a message of. hope for all of us. As a son, a daughter of God, you have security in knowing that you have a heavenly Father who is faithful. You can depend upon him because he will never, ever fail you.
Perhaps you, like many people, grew up without knowing any security from your earthly parents. Today I want to repeat that you have a heavenly Father who is faithful and unflinching in His love for you. And as His child, there is nothing, nothing you can do to make God love you any more than He already loves you because He loves you perfectly. And there's nothing you can do to cause God to love you any less. He just loves you, His child.
Remember what Romans 8, 38 and 39 say, For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ our Lord. You are God's child. I hope these words from our Lord encourage you today. And that is today's PowerPoint. Remember that when you give a gift to PowerPoint, your gift will be doubled by a generous matching grant.
So text the word match to 59789. And join us again next time as Dr. Graham brings a message about how you're called to tell the story of Jesus to the world. That's next time on PowerPoint with Jack Graham. PowerPoint with Jack Graham is sponsored by PowerPoint Ministries.
