The New Birth: Source and Character

Driving home: And if these words, underscoring the necessity of the new birth, are to be changed, then Jesus Christ in person must be changed. And this is impossible.

Martin uses the analogy of underscoring a passage in a book to emphasize that Jesus's 'Verily, verily' statements are His own divine emphasis, not making His words more true, but highlighting their unchangeable importance.

The verilies of the Bible are like God Himself taking a red pencil to underscore His own word. Now it doesn't make it any more His own word. It's His word whether you underscore it or not. You're reading a book, and you come across a passage you want to remember.

6:17 - 6:32 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin explains that 'seeing' the Kingdom of God means perceiving and understanding it, while 'entering' means being admitted to its present and future blessings. Without the new…

Martin illustrates the meaning of 'see' in John 3:3 by describing a child who 'sees' the numbers on a homework problem but doesn't 'see' (perceive or understand) the solution, explaining that spiritual sight is about insight, not just physical observation.

and entering the kingdom of God. Now what does the word see mean in this context? Well, the word see here means precisely to perceive. You're sitting down with your child working on a homework problem, and you say to him, now, do you see it?

10:17 - 10:35 Read in full sermon

Driving home: When the Bible uses the word flesh in this context and in many others, it's speaking of human nature in its totality under the dominion of sin.

Martin paints a picture of Adam and Eve enjoying creation and each other, with God smiling and calling it 'good,' to clarify that 'flesh' in John 3:6 does not mean human existence itself, but human nature corrupted by sin.

When Adam picked a melon in the garden and licked his chops and cut off a piece for Eve and said, isn't that good, honey? She smacked her lips. God smiled and said, that's good.

21:17 - 21:27 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin uses Nicodemus, a Pharisee, teacher in Israel, and observer of Christ's miracles, to illustrate that external religious activity, knowledge, or even contact with Jesus…

Martin describes the meticulous washing rituals of the Pharisees, who feared defilement from Gentiles or even fellow Jews, to highlight their external focus on purity, which Jesus contrasted with the internal defilement of the heart.

No, no. Who is He talking to? Well, the text is careful to tell us. A man of the Pharisees,

23:20 - 23:25 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize that the evidence of being born again is capitulating to the will of King Jesus at the point where it crosses your carnal desires.

Martin critiques the 'stupid' practice of creating a checklist of behaviors (e.g., not smoking, not going to the theater) as evidence of being born again, arguing that true evidence lies in capitulating to Christ's will where it crosses carnal desires.

I mean, just plain stupid. To say, well, a man must be a Christian if he doesn't smoke, doesn't go to the theater. Some of us never did smoke. So what's that prove that we don't smoke?

38:06 - 38:15 Read in full sermon

The point: Take Jesus's word seriously about the necessity of the new birth.

Martin uses the analogy of a doctor who, out of 'love,' hides a deadly diagnosis and offers only superficial remedies, to illustrate that true pastoral love involves clearly stating the desperate spiritual plight of humanity before offering God's gracious remedy.

My friend, listen. If I knew that this congregation gathered here upstairs and down in the overflow room, if I knew and believed that all of you had been infected with some dread disease that would kill you, that would kill you, that would kill you, that would kill you, that would kill you, that would kill you, in a matter of a week,

46:25 - 46:39 Read in full sermon