A sermon by Vicar Timothy Kern
Text: John 3:1-15 NASB
Ever since Adam and Eve took the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, humanity has been cursed. Now, instead of walking with God in the cool of the garden of Eden, we are cursed with toil and labor, pain in childbearing, hardships, and death. As the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve, we have been suffering from that curse because we are now under the birth of the flesh. For, the sin of Adam and Eve’s flesh has given birth to our flesh. This birth of the flesh produces only more servants of sin who can do nothing but think, speak, and do evil. As servants of sin and the flesh, we cannot help but fear, love, and place our trust in almost everything but God our heavenly Father. We take His holy Name in vain when we are angry or surprised. We hate our fellow man for various reasons committing murder in our hearts, we steal and cheat, lust, lie, and covet. This is the human condition, the fleshly condition, and it leads ultimately to death, for we know that the wages of sin is death. The problem for Nicodemus, the problem for us is that we are by nature and according to the flesh sinful and unclean. Under these circumstances, we cannot enter the Kingdom of God because God is holy and pure. Born of the flesh, we are not.
Jesus, then, points Nicodemus to the cross, and says, “as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” This refers to the book of Numbers. The Israelites had been wandering in the desert. They had been disobedient to God, and so He sent a plague of fiery venomous serpents. Everyone who was bitten died. The people of Israel cried out to the Lord, and He heard their prayers. He had Moses fashion a bronze serpent and place it on a pole. Anyone who was bitten could look at the bronze serpent and live.
I’m sure that there were some who refused to look at the bronze serpent after they were bitten. They probably thought something like, “This is ridiculous. How could simply looking at a bronze figure of a snake save my life?” These people no doubt died in unbelief. The same could be said of baptism. Someone could say, “How could simple water wash away my sins and save my life? It doesn’t make any sense.” Of course we know that Baptism is not just plain water. It is the Word of God in and with the water. With the Word of God, Baptism is a life giving water, rich in grace, and it is a washing of rebirth in the Holy Spirit.
By pointing Nicodemus to the Son of Man who is lifted up, Jesus explains that this Baptism, which now saves you from sin and death, is certainly a Baptism into death. That is, into the death and the resurrection of Jesus Himself. Romans chapter 6 says, “that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death. Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” This means that through your baptism, the atoning sacrifice of Jesus’ death is applied to you. This means that the body of Jesus which was broken and His blood which was poured out on the cross is given and shed for you for the forgiveness of all your sins. This means that as the Israelites looked to the bronze serpent and lived, so also you may look to Jesus who was lifted up on the cross and live. For, born of the Spirit, whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
Text: John 3:1-15 NASB
- Flesh gives birth to flesh.
Ever since Adam and Eve took the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, humanity has been cursed. Now, instead of walking with God in the cool of the garden of Eden, we are cursed with toil and labor, pain in childbearing, hardships, and death. As the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve, we have been suffering from that curse because we are now under the birth of the flesh. For, the sin of Adam and Eve’s flesh has given birth to our flesh. This birth of the flesh produces only more servants of sin who can do nothing but think, speak, and do evil. As servants of sin and the flesh, we cannot help but fear, love, and place our trust in almost everything but God our heavenly Father. We take His holy Name in vain when we are angry or surprised. We hate our fellow man for various reasons committing murder in our hearts, we steal and cheat, lust, lie, and covet. This is the human condition, the fleshly condition, and it leads ultimately to death, for we know that the wages of sin is death. The problem for Nicodemus, the problem for us is that we are by nature and according to the flesh sinful and unclean. Under these circumstances, we cannot enter the Kingdom of God because God is holy and pure. Born of the flesh, we are not.
- Spirit gives birth to spirit.
- The Son of Man is lifted up.
Jesus, then, points Nicodemus to the cross, and says, “as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” This refers to the book of Numbers. The Israelites had been wandering in the desert. They had been disobedient to God, and so He sent a plague of fiery venomous serpents. Everyone who was bitten died. The people of Israel cried out to the Lord, and He heard their prayers. He had Moses fashion a bronze serpent and place it on a pole. Anyone who was bitten could look at the bronze serpent and live.
I’m sure that there were some who refused to look at the bronze serpent after they were bitten. They probably thought something like, “This is ridiculous. How could simply looking at a bronze figure of a snake save my life?” These people no doubt died in unbelief. The same could be said of baptism. Someone could say, “How could simple water wash away my sins and save my life? It doesn’t make any sense.” Of course we know that Baptism is not just plain water. It is the Word of God in and with the water. With the Word of God, Baptism is a life giving water, rich in grace, and it is a washing of rebirth in the Holy Spirit.
By pointing Nicodemus to the Son of Man who is lifted up, Jesus explains that this Baptism, which now saves you from sin and death, is certainly a Baptism into death. That is, into the death and the resurrection of Jesus Himself. Romans chapter 6 says, “that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death. Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” This means that through your baptism, the atoning sacrifice of Jesus’ death is applied to you. This means that the body of Jesus which was broken and His blood which was poured out on the cross is given and shed for you for the forgiveness of all your sins. This means that as the Israelites looked to the bronze serpent and lived, so also you may look to Jesus who was lifted up on the cross and live. For, born of the Spirit, whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.