Look, Believe, Live

What do you believe?

John 3:1-15

What do you believe? How do you believe? Christian writer and philosopher, once a confessing atheist, C.S. writes in his classic, The Weight of Glory,  

I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen—not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.

Lewis did not become a Christian because he wanted to. He actually said of himself, 

I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed: perhaps, that night, the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England.

He wrestled with the existence of God. He looked and looked and looked at the evidence and eventually gave in and admitted that God was God. He could not not believe in Jesus as Lord. And once he believed in Christ, it changed the way he saw everything else. 

Let’s define belief as trust that transforms. Belief is far more than mental agreement. True belief transforms our actions. I can stare at a chair and believe it will hold me, but true belief is sitting in the chair and having it actually hold me. Many people say they believe in Jesus but that belief often doesn’t change anything. Asking, “How do you believe?” may be important in revealing, “What you believe?”

In John 3, we met the man, Nicodemus, who comes with some belief, but not with a trust that transforms. I pray we can learn from this man and truly believe. Let me help you discover what you believe by asking you three questions as we walk through the text.

What do you believe about Jesus? (v. 1-2)

Jesus has just cleared the temple with a whip of cords and testified that if they destroy the temple of his body, in three days he would raise it up. The resurrection is the great sign in John’s gospel that should transform who you see everything else. At the end of the second chapter, John adds these two sentences connecting the clearing of the temple and the conversation with Nicodemus. John 2:23–3:1,

Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man. Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 

Notice the connection. Jesus knew what was in man; there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus. John wants us to see that Nicodemus is like those who believed in his name because they saw the signs. Yet those who believed, Jesus did not entrust himself to them or believe in them. For they did not have a true belief. They did not have a belief that transformed their life. Jesus knew what was in them. 

By John describing Nicodemus as ‘a man of the Pharisees, a ruler of the Jews,” he is using him as representative of the Jewish people and their belief. These Jews demand signs and believe in the signs, but believing in the signs without believing the God behind the signs is not true belief. So Nicodemus is one who believes, but doesn’t truly believe. Maybe you are like Nicodemus today. You say you believe in Jesus, but you may not truly believe. 

John gives us a clue about Nicodemus in the beginning of the next verse. Notice again John’s identification of Nicodemus, “This man came to Jesus by night…” He uses man again to remind his audience of the previous verses and then adds that he came by night. Meaning Nicodemus, a Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews, did not want to be seen going to Jesus. Whatever belief he had, it did not change his public life or his private life. Do you have this kind of faith? A faith of the night. John identifies Nicodemus’s position and title, to reveal that even though he held wealth and prestige and lived a moral upright life, he was still outside of the kingdom. For those things although important in the world’s eyes do not get one into the kingdom of God. This would have been shocking to John’s jewish audience. 

John uses the night and day or light and dark imagery throughout his writings. Night is connected to darkness and unbelief. Light is a sign of true belief in word and deed. Just look a few verses down, John 3:19–21,

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” 

As we study Nicodemus, John wants us to ask ourselves, “Are we in the light or in the dark?” Or do we have a belief that transforms our life or one that hides in the night? 

And don’t be too quick to answer because it appears that Nicodemus believes in Jesus, well at least kinda. John 3:2

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.”

Nicodemus addresses Jesus as Rabbi which was a sign of respect. Jesus would have not earned that earthly title, but Nicodemus still gives it to him. Nicodemus is confessing that there is something up with Jesus. He doesn’t ask a question but implies one. Basically saying, “Jesus we know you are special by what you are doing, but who are you really?” Nicodemus sees but doesn’t understand. This man has believed the signs but Jesus did not believe in him (v. 24). And since he came at night, he was not ready to truly believe. He did not have a trust that transforms.  

What do you believe about the Kingdom? (v. 3-10)

Jesus reveals to Nicodemus that he does not yet understand because he cannot see. John 3:3, 

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

Nicodemus comes at ‘night’ therefore he cannot see. His problem is he does not truly believe. He must be born again. We are very familiar with this language as Christians but this was not a common way of speaking for the Jewish people. As we will see, it was alluded to in the Old Testament, but the ‘born again’ phrase began here. Which is why he is confused, John 3:4,

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 is obviously revealing he doesn’t understand for he only is considering the natural and not the spiritual. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 2:14

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 

Nicodemus does not understand, aka does not believe, because he is thinking with a natural mind. 

Jesus is revealing how one enteres the kingdom of God. And to enter the kingdom is another way of saying to receive eternal life, to be saved, to be born again. Remember John 1:12–13,

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 

The audience of the gospel would have already been made aware of the language receiving Jesus through believing in his name and being born of God. Nicodemus reveals that he believes but doesn’t really believe. He believes in the signs that he was doing, but he doesn’t yet believe in his name. Meaning he doesn’t believe who he is, the Lord. 

And this may be where many of you are today. You are here at the invitation of a friend, maybe to watch one of the baptisms, you kinda believe in Jesus for the signs you have seen and heard, you may even call him a good Teacher like Nicodemus, but you don’t believe in him as Lord. Jesus is saying if you don’t believe in him as Lord or are born again, you cannot see or enter the kingdom of God. This means you are outside of faith and outside of salvation. Notice how Jesus doubles down on this in the next verses, John 3:5–8

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 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 is very black and white in these verses: unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God, you must be born again, born of the Spirit. 

In verse 5, Jesus is not talking about baptism but he alluding to how new birth was mentioned in the Old Testament. We know this from John 3:9–10

Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?

In his response, Jesus is basically, how could you not know what the Scripture says? You are a teacher of Israel and you don’t understand the prophets. One of the greatest prophecies of the Messiah is found in Ezekiel 36-37. Notice how the passage connects both water and Spirit and a new heart symbolizing the new birth. Ezekiel 36:25–27

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. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. 

All teachers of Israel should have been very familiar with this passage. In the days of the Messiah, God will send his Spirit to bring new life and to resurrect dead hearts. And the very next chapter in Ezekiel is the vally of dry bones. Ezekiel 37:3–5,

And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.

And notice verse Ezekiel 37:7, connecting to John 3:8 and the sound of the wind, 

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 

And then the promise of resurrection, Ezekiel 37:13–14

And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.” 

Ezekiel 37:23–24,

They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols and their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions. But I will save them from all the backslidings in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes. 

Ezekiel gives the context for Jesus’ words. The dead wil be born again by his Spirit through the Word of God and his people will obey his word. And they will have one shepherd and they will know his voice and obey his word. They shall be his people and He will be their God. 

In Acts 2, after Jesus had been raised from the dead and ascended to heaven, he sent his Spirit to bring new life, Acts 2:2a; 4a

And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting…and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.

What’s the point of all this? If you are going to enter the kingdom of God, you must be changed. Salvation only comes through true belief in the person and work of Jesus Christ. 

If you are here, and do not believe, you will not enter the kingdom of God. If you only have a mere intellectual faith, you will not enter the kingdom of God. If you have a faith that does not transform your life, you will not enter the kingdom of God. You must be born again. You must have a trust in Christ, in his name, that transforms you. 

Think of the analogy the Lord Jesus uses in the wind. We don’t know where it is coming and where it goes, but we can see its impact. Hurricane Melissa touched down in the Carribean last week. They know the impact of the wind. They can see what it changed. Beloved, has your life been affected by the wind? Has there been a hurricane that has destroyed your sinful thoughts and actions? True belief transforms your life. 

Don’t misunderstand me. You can’t produce this change in yourself. You are dead and need to be born again. You can’t see unless God opens your eyes. You can’t believe unless the Spirit brings you to life. So how do you believe?

How do you believe? (v. 11-15)

Jesus further explains how one believes by giving another example from the Old Testament. John 3:11–15,

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. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 

First, he challenges Nicodemus’ belief, along with the other Jews as the you in verse 11(as in verse 7) is in the plural. Jesus is saying, “you people” do not receive our testimony. Nicodemus is representing all of the Jews. He came to his own but his own did not receive him. Jesus says you cannot understand the basics of entrance into the kingdom through faith, you are not going to understand the deeper heavenly things. 

Jesus continues by again stating that he was the Son of Man who has come to bring this new life. In verse 13, Jesus alludes to Proverbs 30 with more language that is consistent with this passage: Proverbs 30:1–4,

The man declares, I am weary, O God;

I am weary, O God, and worn out.

Surely I am too stupid to be a man.

I have not the understanding of a man.

I have not learned wisdom,

nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.

Who has ascended to heaven and come down?

Who has gathered the wind in his fists?

Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment?

Who has established all the ends of the earth?

What is his name, and what is his son’s name?

Surely you know!

Who knows of heaven but the one who comes from heaven? Who controls the wind that brings new life but the one who established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name? It is Jesus the Christ, the Son of Man. 

Jesus answers Old Testament riddles that have long confused the prophets, but then tells Nicodemus how to be born again. And friends, this is how you are born again. This is how you enter God’s kingdom. This is how you escape hell. This is how you believe. John 3:14–15,

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 

First, let's walk through the reference. Israel has been delivered from Egypt but they started to sin by speaking against God and Moses. Numbers 21:4–6,

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. 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.” Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. 

The people rejected the food the Lord gave so the Lord sent serpents, and they were bit and many died. Serpent. Food. Death. Just like in the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve rejected the food God provided, rebelled against his word, were bit by the serpent's cunning and were cast out of paradise. This is the story of our world. Everyone of us has been bitten by the serpent. Everyone of us deserves death from that bite. We all have rejected God’s word and have spoken against him in word and deed. Friend, this is you and me. But by God’s grace the story continues,  Numbers 21:7,

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 beginning of salvation is an acknowledgement of your sin. This is what happened to Israel. They did not deny what they had done but admitted it. “We have sinned.” And they were specific, “We have spoken against the Lord and against you.” And after their confession, they asked for mercy through an intercessor. Moses prayed for the people in their request. Take away the serpents from us. And God responds in Numbers 21:8–9

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.” 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. 

Moses lifted up that bronze serpent and if anyone, who was bit by the serpent, looked up, would live.

Jesus takes that and teaches what must happen to him. Again John 1:14-15, 

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 

The Son of Man must be lifted up. Being lifted up has a double meaning of being lifted up on the cross and lifted up to heaven. He uses same phrase is used in John 8:28 and John 12:32-24. 

John 8:28, 

So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.

John 12:31–36,

Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world (the serpent) be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” 

Darkness and light. Jesus is saying believe that he is the Son of Man who came to be lifted up on the cross to take the sins of his people, to die in their place and to be raised for their hope. And belief is not mere intellectual assent, it is a trust that transforms, it is walking in the light. If you believe in the lights you will become sons of light. 

How do you believe? You look to the Son and live. Everyone must look to Jesus Christ, his death and resurrection, and then you will live. And to look is to believe. Believing that though you have been bitten by the serpent and deserve to die, you will live because the Son of Man died in your place. 

My fear is that in passages like this is that because it is so familiar we will miss its meaning. We will not take the hard look at ourselves and see if we truly believe. Lewis said, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen—not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” He was transformed in how he saw everything because of how he saw the Son of God. Nicodemus came with some faith, but not real faith. But this is not the last time we will hear of Nicodemus. In chapter 7:50, Nicodemus speaks up for Jesus among the Pharisees. And then after Jesus died, in the light of the sun we read that, 

Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. (John 19:39)

Nicodemus had come to Jesus by night, but he eventually came out of the dark and walked in the light. 

My prayer is that those of you here who have some belief, but not true belief, who do not have a trust in Christ that has transformed your life, I pray you would come to the light and walk in the light. I pray you would truly look to Christ and live. I pray you would believe that Jesus Christ is the only one who can save you from the serpent’s bite. We all have been bitten unto death, but only in Christ can we be born again. Whoever believes in Jesus may have eternal life. It does not matter how you came in today and how much sin you carried, whoever believes in Jesus will have eternal life.

And beloved, this text is also for you. You may be weary and tired in life and have little hope. You may be discouraged with how weak you often feel, but if you are born again, trusting in Christ, you should have great confidence in your kingdom citizenship. You belong to God. I pray that the fact that the Holy Spirit has blown in your direction would give you great comfort today and especially days you are faint from this world. 

Looking to Christ for life is how you enter the kingdom of God. It is how you are born again. It is how you believe and continue to believe. Not to your own efforts, but in looking to the Son of Man and living. And we can do that now together, in taking the food he has given us. In publicly testifying in the Supper, that we believe whoever looks on the Son, has eternal life. Let us now feast in faith.