Message Notes

SUNDAY SCHOOL SPECIAL 25 April 2021

Text: John 3

Subject: Evangelism

Sub-Topic: Personal Evangelism: “Born Again” II

INTRODUCTION

1. Greater Understanding needed

a) Of people’s general knowledge of God

b) Of people’s comprehension of Biblical teachings shared

2. Be a friend

a) At all times

b) In all circumstances

WHY WE SPEAK THE WAY WE DO

1. Basis of the Lord’s teaching

a) We speak what we know (John 3:11a)

i) Knowledge

ii) Speech (sharing)

b) And testify what we have seen (John 3:11b)

i) Testimony

ii) Sharing what we have seen (experienced)

2. Is there a problem?

a) And you do not receive our witness (John 3:11c)

b) This was something the Lord Jesus had seen time and again

i) Nicodemus had remarked that the works of the Lord Jesus indicated that God was with Him (John 3:2)

ii) Yet he still struggled with what the Lord Jesus was saying. What is the problem?

WHAT WE SHARE

1. Earthly things/Heavenly things (John 3:12)

a) Earthly things

i) Simple truths

ii) Not difficult to comprehend

b) Heavenly things

i) Complex truths

ii) Even harder to comprehend

2. Beginning with simple truths

a) Who the Lord Jesus is

b) What He was teaching

c) Can these be understood?

d) Can these be accepted?

3. Going on with harder truths

a) Being born again

b) Being born of the Spirit

c) Being humble enough to accept that one needs to born again even though one may be old

DEEPER TRUTHS

1. No one has ascended to heaven (John 3:13a)

a) The humble confession of Agur (Proverbs 30:1-6)

b) Confession of being “a stupid man”

c) Lack of knowledge admitted

d) Candid words from a wise man

2. But he who came down from heaven (John 3:13b)

3. The Son of Man who is in heaven (John 13:13c)

4. The Lord Jesus was speaking in plain language to Nicodemus

THE SON OF MAN 

Two aspects may be highlighted:

1. It is a humble description of Man

“What is man that You are mindful of him, and the Son of Man that You visited Him?” (Psalm 8:4)

2. It is also a lofty description of the Messiah

“I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven!” (Daniel 7:13)

The Lord Jesus fits both descriptions!

CONCLUSION

1. Presenting the Gospel

a) Simple version

b) Deeper version

2. The Heart of the Gospel

a) The Person of the Lord Jesus Christ

b) He is the humble Son of Man (human being)

c) The Son of Man prophesied in the Scriptures

i) He is worthy

ii) He is King 

iii) His Kingdom is an eternal one (Daniel 7:14)

3. He is “Rabbi…a Teacher come from God” (John 3:2)

Do we mean these words?