He Must Be Lifted Up | Sermon 11/06/2022

John 3:11-15

Jesus continues his dialogue with Nicodemus but at this point Nicodemus has been silenced. Jesus is the exegesis of God and He speaks of what He knows and testifies of what He has seen. But despite seeing and hearing of the wonders of God, Nicodemus and those who he represents have not received it. Jesus tells him, if I tell you of things like being born of water and spirit, which is regeneration, that happens here on earth, how would you believe if I tell you of the coming eternal glories? Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy showing that He is the one who has come down from heaven. He alone has the authority to speak and testify of these things. It’s Him, Nicodemus needs to believe on!

Jesus then gives a foretelling of His future humiliation. The grumbling, disbelieving, and cursed Israelites in the wilderness were under judgment of God by venomous serpent attack. But God had Moses put a bronze serpent on a pole and those who looked to God’s remedy would be saved and given new life. The fact is, Nicodemus, the Jews, all of us are in a wilderness of sin; we are cursed and under God’s judgment. Jesus says one must look to Him, when He is lifted up on the wooden pole (the cross), believe on Him, and you will have this new born-again life He is speaking of. And this new life will bring with it, eternal life.