31 “ He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.

32 What He has seen and heard, of that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony.

33 He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true.

34 For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.

35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.

36 He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him
(John 3:31-36 NASB)

Introduction:

I. Jesus came from heaven vs. 31

II. Jesus bears witness of heaven vs. 32-33a

Two possible responses to His testimony

A. Rejection

B. Reception

III. Jesus confirms that God is true vs. 33b-35

What the Father does

A. The Father gives Jesus the Spirit without measure.

B. The Father loves Jesus and gives Him all things vs. 35

IV. Jesus is the only way to eternal life vs. 36

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Introduction:

Theme: Three important lessons to learn from the ministry of John the Baptist so you will fulfill your own.
22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and baptizing.

23 John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people were coming and were being baptized—

24 for John had not yet been thrown into prison.

25 Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about purification.

26 And they came to John and said to him, “ Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him.”

27 John answered and said, “ A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.

28 You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘ I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him. ’

29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full.

30 He must increase, but I must decrease
(John 3:22-30 NASB)
I. Recognize the important role baptism plays in the Christian life vv. 22-26

A. Baptism pre-dates the formal establishment of Christianity vv. 22-24

1. Jesus was practicing baptism before He called the twelve disciples

2. John was baptizing simultaneously with Jesus as he completed his ministry

B. Baptism has always been a mark of devotion to Christ over all others vv. 25-26

II. Remember that ministry privilege is granted by God vv. 27-28

III. Rejoice in being a faithful servant of Christ vv. 29-30

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Introduction:

Review:

16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

18 He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.

20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

21 But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God
(John 3:16-21 NASB)

Theme: Two possible responses to God’s love so you may know whether or not you have eternal life.

I. Your belief in God’s Son results in eternal life? vv. 16-17

Four helpful assertions

A. God’s love for the world led Him to give His Son vs. 16a

B. God’s love for the world provides salvation for everyone who believes in His Son vs. 16b

C. Stated negatively – He did not send His Son to judge the world vs. 17a

D. Stated positively – God sent His Son to save the world vs. 17b

II. Your refusal to believe in God’s Son results in judgment? vv. 18-21

A. God’s judgment is determined by whether or not you believe in God’s Son vs. 18

1. Belief in God’s Son delivers from God’s judgment vs. 18a

2. Unbelief in God’s Son leads to God’s judgment vs. 18b

B. Your deeds will dictate your relationship to the light of Christ vv. 19-21

1. Committing evil deeds will keep you from the light vv. 19-20

a. The evil deeds of unbelievers compel them to love the darkness rather than the light

b. The evil deeds of unbelievers reveal their hatred of the light

c. The evil deeds of unbelievers keep them from coming to the light

2. Practicing the truth will draw you to the light vs. 21

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Introduction:

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 have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

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

4 Nicodemus *said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?”

5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again. ’

8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?”

10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?

11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony.

12 If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

13 No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man.

14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;

15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life
(John 3:1-15 NASB)

Theme: Five essential truths you must know about the new birth so you may believe and be saved.

I. The new birth is necessary for you to be saved vv. 3, 7

II. The new birth is your spiritual birth vv. 5-6

III. The new birth is beyond your human control vs. 8

IV. The new birth is received by you through faith vv. 9-12

V. The new birth is provided for you through Christ’s death vv. 13-15

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Introduction:

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 have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

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

4 Nicodemus *said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?”

5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again. ’

8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?”

10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?

11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony.

12 If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

13 No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man.

14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;

15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life
(John 3:1-15 NASB)

Theme: Five essential truths you must know about the new birth so you may believe and be saved.

I. The new birth is necessary for you to be saved vv. 3, 7

II. The new birth is your spiritual birth vv. 5-6

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John 2:12-22 NASB

12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and His brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days.

13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

14 And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables.

15 And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables;

16 and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.”

17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “ Zeal for Your house will consume me.”

18 The Jews then said to Him, “ What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?”

19 Jesus answered them, “ Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

20 The Jews then said, “It took forty- six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”

21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.

22 So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken

Theme: Four reasons Jesus had to cleanse the temple

I. It was an egregious abuse of the temple grounds vv. 13-16

II. It was a clue to His disciples that He was the Messiah vs. 17

III. It was a demonstration of His spiritual authority vs. 18

IV. It was a prophetic allusion to His resurrection from the dead vv. 19-22

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Review:

I. They abandon all others to follow Him vv. 35-37

II. They seek after Him to be with Him vv. 38-39

III. They bring others to follow Him vv. 40-42a

Evangelism Andrew and Peter

“. . . who argued in the nineteenth century that the true knowledge of Christ includes (and does not just lead to) delight in Christ. This knowledge ‘is not the apprehension of what he is, simply by the intellect, but also . . . involves not as its consequence merely, but as one of its elements, the corresponding feeling of adoration, delight, desire and complacency [=contentment].’ ”
John Piper, When I Don’t Desire God (17, emphasis his)

43 The next day He purposed to go into Galilee, and He *found Philip. And Jesus *said to him, “ Follow Me.”

44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter.

45 Philip *found Nathanael and *said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

46 Nathanael said to him, “ Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip *said to him, “Come and see.”

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and *said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”

48 Nathanael *said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

49 Nathanael answered Him, “ Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.”

50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.”

51 And He *said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man
(John 1:43-51 NASB)

Homiletical Proposition: Three possible responses to Jesus Christ

I. Simple faith: evidenced in following Jesus and recruiting others vv. 43-45

II. Brazen skepticism: unbelief that initially opposes the truth vv. 46-48a

III. Resolved conviction: belief that leads to vocal proclamation vv. 48b-51

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