John Chapter 3:1-3

Jesus is is the most important decision you will ever make in your life and whatever decision you make.

You have to live in you have to die by that decision. If you're willing to live with the decision that you reject Jesus Christ as your Savior. Be willing to die by that same standard. I'm not willing to do that. I'm not willing to die same Jesus is not my Messiah because I understand that I can't pay the price. I can't I'm not righteous enough myself.

I don't me the standard of sinless perfection. I need a Savior welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is a senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina, and were glad to have one of the McGee's associate pastors DA Brown here with us as Pastor Dave continues through the book of John, do you realize that Jesus said in John chapter 3 must be born again.

You know we all have different decisions in life and some important and some not so much but most important decision is deciding what Jesus Bob and John chapter 3 Jesus said we must be born again. What is that even me and have we been born again. How do we become born DA in today's teaching David McGee will be asking that question and I'm sure he'll be answering it directly from the word of God.

So let's jump in as they McGee continues teaching in John chapter 3 John chapter 3 verse one says, there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus of ruler of the Jews LC here we have a Pharisee that's coming to see Jesus again. We've gotten this mistaken notion that all Pharisees rejected Jesus that all Jewish leaders rejected Jesus, and it's just not so adverse to this man came to Jesus by lightning 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 them is interesting that Nicodemus did not doubt the miracles.

Actually, it was the miracles that cause this spiritual leader injury loose from injuries on to check out this upstart from Galilee. It was the miracles and heard some people say will look at me Nicodemus. He came to Jesus by night that's pretty lame that he came to about nine how prideful and legalistic we can be guys that don't you realize that every one of us come to Jesus in the mail the night you may come to them this morning, but really you're coming towing in that darkness of your life, you're coming to them in the darkness of your send your comment to them in the privacy of your heart. Communicate with him.

Even if you do it publicly. See Nicodemus knew the law. He knew his weakness. He knew his disease and sickness, but he also knew where to seek out the cure became the Jesus was convinced that he couldn't fulfill the law so he came to Jesus saying asking what, what's the deal with the kingdom of God.

You need to understand that because as long as you think that you can keep the law you will seek out a Savior using lock and do this I can handle this. There's people all over the tribe this morning, sit in church. It think they can fulfill the law and think they can obey the law hundred percent of the time and it's nothing more than spiritual arrogance as friends, brothers, sisters, family, we can't do it. That's why we need a Savior because there's an inability in us to keep the law. And if you're sitting out there and you think that you've kept the law. We've done this before and got one of the reasons I repeat this if you've been here for a while referred to so many times is it so you will use it in exchange communication with other people because so many people's will say well you know how you get in heaven while basically I can on the bay and the 10 Commandments.

I'm doing the best I can and they think that that will allow them and that got a jump in and of the next virtual bit to go with me.

They think well, you know, in the say well I'm basically The 10 Commandments really what's amazing what you know and then ask a couple questions of maturation every total and some people issue I have. You just did you just did. I mean, we'll call it, whether it's in that you know an exaggeration or or whatever else the house so disappointed as a child because my dad used to tell me it restores about you having to walk to school 3 miles uphill both ways and I was at my grandmother's house one day, you know, and I was looking in an accident. The school that's at the end of the driveway in the school you went to oyez that there's what you do, walk around eight times it can't be 3 miles the other further away. What was your issue was that make you basically good person not make sure you ever stolen anything in writing, mostly without ever stolen anything you don't have anything in your house that belongs to someone else. Maybe something you borrowed that you never return. Nothing. Well would have to go all the way back to school member that Frazier was always an interesting phrase me when you say let me borrow piece of paper and you barred these paper and you never gave it back to you need to repent for that. Even if you got stolen anything since that bodyguard pencil that you didn't get back okay so was that make you well, but I basically good person. No major safe thief and a liar use God's name and appropriately pictured them with a hammer and said the wrong word answers are yes was that make you sick like a burden. I met your blasphemer have you ever looked with lust at another person. Frazier and not get the ones that make it well according Jesus to make sure the adulterer so you are lying, thieving blaspheming adulterer well about self-affirmation here. Are you feeling warm and fuzzy. No seat.

You have to realize that you can obey the law that you can't fulfill the law perfectly before you realize you need a Savior.

You have to come to that. And you know what guys very often when were witnessing. We present the answer before we present the problem.

People have to understand their inadequacy to fulfill the law to go to heaven before they want to hear about Jesus Christ but Nicodemus didn't doubt the miracles and he knew his inability to keep the law and the officer said something this interesting because it's a view held by some people today. He says you're a teacher come from God sent on the people something to say when I asked him what you believe about Jesus and will say well I believe he was a good teacher. I don't believe he was a son of God, but I believe he was a good man. He was a good teacher. He I don't think it was the Messiah.

I don't think he was the son of God, but I do believe he was a good teacher.

Chances are you've probably heard somebody say that I love what CS Lewis said and I quote from mere Christianity said I'm trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about him.

I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God. That is one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of thing.

Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He was later to be a lunatic on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was and is the son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a full, you can spit at him and kill them as a demon, or you can fall at his feet and calling Lord God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He is not left that open to us. He did not intend to. If Jesus was a good teacher. He went around saying that he was able to forgive sin now either. He was telling false falsehoods and he knew he was not God so he was a liar or he thought he was God, but he was not so. He was a lunatic, or he was telling the truth to you have to decide everybody has to decide make this decision is. Some people call this the trilemma so the dilemma to George's trilemma, liar, lunatic or Lord. It's an awesome awesome way to share with those who are confused about what Jesus was here for an hour talking about this, realize that the gospel writers. The disciples themselves. You could break them into two categories it really either they were telling the truth and they knew it or they were told the line they know know what I found in my life. Is it scarcely well a person dive for a lot, scarcely. Will they die for the truth and hardly ever if ever hear of an instance of somebody dying for a lot and yet 10 of the 11 disciples minus your Jews. 10 of 11 disciples died being persecuted without recanting some of them horrible deaths that shows that they believed what they wrote. They believed what they told they believe what they talked about in the life lesson. Guises who Jesus is, is the most important decision you will ever make in your life who Jesus is, is the most important decision you will ever make in your life and whatever decision you make. You have to live in you have to die by that decision. Be prepared for that. If you're willing to live with the decision that you reject Jesus Christ as your Savior. Be willing to die by that same standard. I'm not willing to do that. I'm not willing to die same Jesus is not my Messiah because I understand that I can't pay the price. I can't. I'm not a righteous enough myself.

I don't me the standard of sinless perfection. I need the Messiah. I need a Savior will be right back with more from David McGee on cross the bridge right now. Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown hey Bob, willing to pay for some listeners today and these California cities Maple Creek Mariposa, Marysville, Mount Shasta must coy Napa and North San Juan God, we thank you for the people living in the cities and those tuning in today.

Lord, we pray that they would get excited about following you, Lord, that they would use that excitement to be a blessing and love other people that they would get plugged into godly churches. We pray for the pastors in the cities that you give them wisdom and discernment, how to lead their flocks and point them to your word.

In Jesus name, amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse Jesus in verse three cuts right to the heart of the matter.

Jesus answered in verse three and said to him, most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. But that's really vague and gray.

Let me read it again. Most assuredly, I say to you, and last one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God, for complainant, I mean I don't think anybody in here is confused by that statement and remember who Jesus is talking to. He's talking the Nicodemus was a Pharisee and not all Pharisees were hypocrites and I personally don't believe Nicodemus was a hypocrite. I believe he was probably very godly man while well first of all, he sought out Jesus personally.

He could very easily sent one of his assistants I could find out who this guy report back to me it and do it. He went personally to Jesus and said, tell me what to who you are, what's going on so there was a reality.

There, but he was very well. He was very religious. The Pharisees were a separated people. They live for the Lord. They believe the word of God. They taught the word of God. Yes they got into legalism. Yes they got an tradition, but there were some that really desired to live a godly life and I believe Nicodemus was very devout and very religious and he was a man that was searching after God and he was a man that was not going to heaven. Jesus says that right here in the sets, the applecart of the religion of the day and you and quite frankly, he upsets the applecart of religion today and he meant Nicodemus's law and his religion was not enough and you know what law and religion today is not enough and how sad that we portray that the people what is it to be a Christian when you gotta quit doing this I quit doing that. Got start doing this. Start doing that that's the gospel that's the good news is only good news to me, telling somebody to try harder, focus more, make more promises.

That's not good news to me and we tossed around this phrase born again born-again Christian.

That's an interesting phrase in the born-again Christian why we have to clarify. Are you up born-again Christian. Why is there like another con Jesus says here there's not another kind of Christian, born-again Christian, is the only Christian there is if you call yourself a Christian, you're identifying yourself by name as a follower of Jesus, and Jesus said, you gotta be born again so it's not an option for you to say I'm a non-un-born-again Christian, because then you are not following Jesus you're not obeying the words of Jesus.

The people that call themselves born-again. Sometimes not understand what that means, you better. You batch.

I ran across these statistics before I give them to get let me tell you, these are on the good side.

These are optimistic figures, 84% of born-again Christians consider the Bible to be totally accurate, 16% do not. 50% of born-again Christians believe Satan is not a living being but a symbol of evil what the Bible says 38% of born-again Christians believe that if a person is good enough they can go to heaven. 31% of born-again Christians believe that Jesus committed sins. While on earth, and 26% of born-again Christians believe it doesn't matter which faith you follow, because they all teach the same lesson which leads us to the question do people really know what being born-again is looking at the statistics I'd have to say no. They sure do not. Some of your sit here and you're going well yeah okay I'm done. The born-again thing I've asked the Lord Jesus to forgive Mama since also maybe some of you have not forgot give you the opportunity to do that this morning but if you sent anything. Yes, I've been born-again. I've done this of asked for the forgiveness of my sins and let me ask you a real cutting question, what are you doing with it. It's something you're hiding something.

You're walking in and you're sharing with other people being afraid God is not a legitimate excuse not to share your faith is a reality is all of us are afraid there's other people that need to know what you know must make a little more personal. Were talking about your friends and your family and your neighbors or talk about people that live in your community that you play ball with your children hang out with next time you're at the mall or restaurant are in school. Look around and look at the faces look at the see people who are not going to have. We need to tell we need to tell him that God could've written the gospel in the sky could've thundered his voice from the heavens, but he is chosen to use you and I to tell as imperfect as we are as flawed as we are. We need to do what we can while we can to reach those we can but there's too many people that are set neither under bad teaching false teaching or no teaching at all and they don't know what being born-again is they don't know it's not dependent upon their goodness. Their works, we spent a lot of energy and effort want to reach out to people.

We have the radio broadcast that presents the gospel while because the statistics show that about 40% of the Christian radio audience is not born-again. John four 3536 is do you not say there still four months and then comes the harvest hold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the field for they are already white for harvest and he who reads, receives wages and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. Proverbs 10 five says he who gathers in summer is a wise son.

He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame were seen.

The harvest here.

People come to me on a weekly basis. The hangman I lead somebody to the Lord this week. Praise God awesome see because you guys are in circles that I don't travel maybe your ministers to invite people to church. That's a valid ministry and that's why we have the cards saying you are invited to the map on the back, but I think it's more than that. Matthew 936 is but when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them because they were weary and scattered like sheep having no shepherd.

Then he said to his disciples, the harvest truly is plentiful but the laborers are few therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. The great prayer to pray his Lord send out laborers into the harvest and realize that you are a labor reality is. This is a life lesson. We are told to tell about Jesus either you, you're telling her we are being disobedient. How do you become born-again geysers are simple, adventurous center believe Jesus died for you and rose again, ask for forgiveness, and turn from your sins to Jesus admixture center believe Jesus died for you asked for forgiveness and turn from your ways to his ways and noticed turning from your ways to his waist earning from your sense to him as number four. It's not number one. A lot of times we make that number one and we do the gospel, the good news of this service did you do number four first I bet not to try and you might've been very frustrated with your lack of success.

Jesus tells us in the word do the apostle Paul. Romans chapter 5 verse eight says, but God demonstrated his own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

When you came to the Lord to ask him to forgive you of your sins.

It wasn't because you were worthy of being forgiven. It wasn't because you were live in a good life is your center and you needed forgiveness does repentance play a part. You better. The repentance is a gift from God and if somebody has the mustard seed of faith to believe that Jesus Christ died for their sins and they step out on that God will give them that gift of repentance.

But the focus has to be on Jesus has to be on the good news noticed again what Jesus didn't say he didn't say you are born again when you're christened or when you're baptized, or when you're confirmed or when you do this when you do that he says born-again and we just talked about what in born-again is Romans 10, nine and 10 and 13 tells confess with your mouth. Believe in your heart to Jesus Christ died and rose again. Romans 1013, whosoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. So if you're here this morning and maybe even thinking that it was your works, your goodness, that was the way you were supposed to get to heaven and I got good news for is not dependent on your good works is dependent upon him who died on the cross in your place and if you said that prayer before then you need to realize that people all around you were dying Diane without God, not knowing me a favor right now place your hand on your heart and show your heartbeat.

Do you realize that with every beat of your heart. A lost sinner is Diana going to an eternity without Jesus every minute, 70 times a minute, every hour every day, seven days a week if you're okay with not doing anything. It makes me wonder if you really understand the good news guys I've met this morning for the words of Jesus to challenge her as you think about those who don't know, I want you to join with me in saying Lord send out laborers into the harvest because I'm not talking about strangers this morning. I'm not talking about people in India guess we need to pray for them. We need to support missionaries going over there and talk about your friends and your neighbors thought about the people you work with that if you don't tell them at some point, probably in the future they will know that you knew and didn't tell him, Lord, thank you for making it so simple.

Lord, it is not dependent upon our good works is dependent upon your righteousness and Lord you died for our sins and Lord, if we believe that even with the mustard seed of faith and we asked for forgiveness and were willing to turn from our sins to you. Lord we can be born again, we can know the forgiveness of sins and Lord, we realize that we've not been diligent in telling people we've not been telling people the way that we should and Lord we want to minister to them. We want to tell him the good news that is not about works about what you do about who you know what I just asked that you would light a fire in our hearts that we would not be complacent and and leasing Lord, but that we would seek out opportunities to invite people to hear the gospel in the share the gospel with them.

Friend, you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven.

You can know right now only Legion a short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. God wants you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I can have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things.

Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible. You've been forgiven you've been born again, so congratulations for you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you.

You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working your life will DA before we go.

What are some ways that we can bless our listeners each day. You can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and a thought to meditate on throughout your day. From the heart of David McGee. That sounds good Pastor day and again. It's been great to have you with us on the program today but tell us what else can a listers find on cross the bridge.com.

If you're not able to make it to your home church this Sunday. Why not join us for our lifestream at 10 AM Eastern time or on Thursday night at 7 PM Eastern time. This visit, cross the bridge.com and click on our lifestream link.

There you will experience a live service from David's home church. The bridge in North Carolina again. That website is cross the bridge.com. Thanks again for listening and join us next time. As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the Gospel of John