As the Lord may be pleased to help us this morning, I would like to direct your prayerful attention to the chapter we read together, John chapter three, and we take as our text verse seven. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again. John chapter three and verse seven.

Our Lord Jesus Christ came to this world and his great mission he fulfilled. He came to seek and to save that which was lost. In just a few weeks time I expect we'll be centering our thoughts on the coming to this world of our Lord Jesus Christ and it's quite a remarkable account in Matthew's gospel of how Mary was found to be with child of her husband Joseph before ever they came together.

And this was a great trial to Joseph. And you can imagine the anxiety that this would have caused in his mind. But we read that Joseph, her husband, this is Matthew chapter one, Joseph, Mary's husband, being a just man and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost, and she shall bring forth a son.

And though Joseph was given a commission from God, thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sin." Joseph was instrumental under God's direction to name this son that was born into their family, Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sin. And that word shall is a far more powerful word than the word will. The word shall comes with a promise, a future. And if ever a baby was born with a promise, it was our Lord Jesus Christ.

He who was spoken of in the Garden of Eden and we read there quite clearly that before Adam and Eve were cast out of that Garden of Paradise as sinners, the promise of the Saviour was given. The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head and he shall bruise his heel. The Saviour would come to this world. He would injure the devil's head And the enemy of souls, the devil, is still in agony because his head is bruised. He knows that he is a defeated foe. He knows that the finished work of our Lord Jesus is sufficient to put away sin which he brought into this world.

The Church of Christ was born of those born-again Christians who come in believing faith and confession of their sin. Our Lord Jesus Christ is He who is their Saviour. And the new birth contained in this chapter 3 in John is so vital And it must have been quite an amazing thing to be heard by Nicodemus, who was a ruler of the Jews. He would have been edified in the Old Testament, and he would have been looked up to in the Sanhedrin and the Pharisees, because He was a ruler of the Jews and he came to Jesus by night and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God.

He knew this because he said no man can do these miracles, turning water into wine, for example, could not do them except God be with him. He had yet to realize that the Lord Jesus was not just a teacher come from God, he is God. The Lord Jesus said when he was questioned, he that has seen me has seen the Father. I and my Father are one.

And what a blessing it is and it's recorded in the high priestly prayer of our Lord Jesus. The close unity between he and his Father and to those who have Believed in him, there is such a bond, an eternal bond, established by the wonderful love and teaching of our Lord Jesus in this high priestly prayer in John 17. I think seven times in that chapter we read the words of the Lord Jesus, I have. I have glorified thee on the earth. I have manifested thy name, he said. I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me.

And there is our dear Saviour praying with the disciples around Him. And then when we get to verse 20, it's worth noticing, our dear Saviour, shall we say, broadens His prayer, not to the disciples around Him, but He says, neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word. that they may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us, and that the world may believe that thou hast sent me, and the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one."

What a privilege. What a favor to think that our dear Savior prayed for the likes of us. And surely his prayer was heard and answered in heaven above. So dear friends, be encouraged. But this new life is a gift. And that's why the dear Lord Jesus put it to Nicodemus so clearly

And we see here such a wonderful glimpse of the true character of our Lord Jesus himself. He is God. He is firm, he has authority, but he also is so friendly, so warm in his conversation that he says, marvel not that I say unto thee, ye must be born again. This new birth is a miracle, a miracle of grace. And it can only come about by God's wonderful mercy and favor poured out. And one by one, as people come into the knowledge of their need of salvation, their need to seek for salvation by grace, through faith in our Lord Jesus, that new birth takes place, not a patching up of an old, no, a new birth, new life in Christ Jesus.

Being a Pharisee, Nicodemus would have had much zeal of God, but he did not seem to have it according to God's words regarding the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul, when he wrote to those Philippian believers, he was so warm-hearted, especially to the Philippians, because, of course, the Apostle Paul was so instrumental in the conviction and conversion of the founder members of that Philippian church. And in Philippians chapter 3, we read these words regarding the work of the Lord Jesus Christ in the heart and soul of the Apostle Paul. He says, circumcised the eighth day according to the stock of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the law, a Pharisee, concerning zeal, persecuting the church, touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

But what things were gained to me, these I counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but done. that which is to be cast out, that I may win Christ and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God, by faith, that I may know him. And he goes on to speak of the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering being made conformable unto his death. if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

These truths are so vital and the Lord Jesus was steering Nicodemus into these wonderful truths. The Apostle Paul, a Saul of Tarsus, was so diligent until the Lord Jesus met with him on that Damascus road. He thought he was spending all his energy and all his zeal preserving the Old Testament teaching. And when he was struck down by that light, the Lord Jesus is the light. He will be the light in glory where there is no need for the sun. We read that the Lamb shall be the light thereof.

have the teaching here of the Lord Jesus himself saying to Nicodemus, marvel not, don't be surprised, marvel not, that I say unto thee, ye must be born again. And therefore, it emphasizes the clear teaching that new life in Christ is that which works to the salvation of a lost soul and brings them into a living and growing relationship with our Lord Jesus, whom to know is life eternal. Nicodemus was speaking about the things that he knew. What he needed to know was our Lord Jesus himself, whom to know is life eternal.

Nicodemus, the ruler of the Jews, and I understand historically that there were something like 6,000 or 7,000 Pharisees at that time, at the time the Lord Jesus was here on earth. And the Pharisees were very influential politically and opposed to the Lord Jesus, even to the point of taking him to his crucifixion. And yet, in all this, the Lord Jesus said, no man taketh my life from me. I have power to lay it down. I have power to take it again. This have I received from my father. There were times when They attempted to take our Lord Jesus, but they could not. They were powerless until he gave his life, a ransom for many.

Such was the darkness that was in Nicodemus' heart until God's grace caused Nicodemus to come to him. He came by night, we read. It could have been because he didn't want the other Pharisees to see him coming to Jesus. We don't know, but it could well have been. But the wonderful thing is, dear friends, while Nicodemus was there at night, with Jesus, learning from him, learning of him, and being taught by him, his fellow Pharisees might well have been asleep. But dear Nicodemus was awake enough that he had a concern for his soul, and he came to Jesus.

Why and how he came at night is not really thing to concern us. The main thing is the words of the Lord Jesus himself. All that the Father hath given me he says shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

And there's a word in the Psalms and I well remember it. As a young lad when I was first concerned about my eternal soul And a visiting minister came to Bethesda to preach. And this was his text, Psalm 65 and verse 4.

Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and callsest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.

I think being satisfied with the goodness of thy house surely points us to the mercy seat, part of the furniture of the tabernacle and later in the temple. And God gave a promise. He said, I will meet with thee and commune with thee from above the mercy seat. And what a blessing it is. And I felt it a rich blessing at that time. I was a young man, young lad then, 16, 17 years old, and the Lord was beginning to work in my heart, and I couldn't really understand quite what was going on. But that was made a blessing to me. I thought it was the Lord that was causing me to approach to Him. And the hearing of the word preached took on a new life. Looking back on it, it was because new life was being formed in me. And therefore, that text, blessed is the man who no chooses and causes to approach unto thee. God has chosen his people before ever time began. And he calls them by his grace, one by one, in his time, his way, and the work which he begins He continues, going back to the Epistle to the Philippians, that very first chapter teaches us these things.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians, and he said, he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. He won't begin a work and then leave it, no. He continues it, he performs it, carries it on. And so Nicodemus was gaining a personal knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not a national knowledge because he was a Jew, no, but a personal knowledge through our Lord Jesus Christ.

And these things, he said, we know. But the Lord Jesus came from God. He wasn't trained as Nicodemus was, trained by men. The Lord Jesus put forth his divine power by his right. Nicodemus came at night, yes. His experience was, but these things he could not understand. But he had a Old Testament knowledge, and the Lord Jesus reminded him of his Old Testament knowledge.

We don't know exactly where he went, but these things we have in the wonderful Gospel, in the prophecy of Isaiah, and the prophet, under the inspiration of God, gave this wonderful invitation Ho, every one that thirsteth, Isaiah 55, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye buy and eat, yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Our Lord Jesus is he who has given his life, he has paid the price. Redemption is paid for. And the very fact that he rose again on that glorious Easter morning, is proof that God is satisfied, God's righteous justice is satisfied with the finished work of our Lord Jesus. And we can imagine the resurrection as the divine receipt, that the price for salvation is paid.

Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfies not? hearken diligently unto me and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear and come unto me here, and there's a promise here, here and your soul shall live. And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

It was given to the line of David who came from the tribe of Judah that the Lord Jesus would be born and live and become the saviour of lost souls. Behold I have given him for a witness to the people and a leader and a commander to the people. Behold thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God and for the holy one of Israel, for he hath glorified thee.

Our Lord Jesus himself, the holy one of Israel, he on whom our hopes of heaven depend. The Lord Jesus came to this world of darkness from his Father, the Father of light, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning, and individuals like you and I are the recipients we trust because we have felt our need.

The Lord Jesus Christ, he is the fountain of truth and eternal life and we may venture our souls on such a saviour who came not to do his own will, but the will of him that sent him, and to finish his work. It is a completed work. We can add nothing to improve or to help our situation. Ours is to believe and to be one of those born-again believers, born from above. New life. And for these blessings, surely our hearts should go up in adoration and praise. Born from above.

You think back to the account of Naaman when he was remarkably and miraculously cured of his leprosy. If you and I had leprosy, That disabling disease, our joints and our limbs, gradually gave up and died on us. How pleased we would be if we had our skin back like it was, with all the scars and the war wounds that we gather as we go through life, especially those of us who have done manual work.

But you think it's recorded in scripture that when Naaman humbled himself and went down to Jordan, that river that he despised, his servants were those who encouraged him. They said, Father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, would thou not have done it? How much rather go to Jordan and obey the Prophet's command. And Naaman took that from his servants. The servants are very important in that account, it's worth looking at. And he went down to Jordan and dipped himself seven times, according to the word of the Prophet, and his skin came again like the skin of a little child. Speaking of new life.

New life. And surely that new life was working in that little maid who witnessed to the wonders of grace because she was taken from her home and her family, her friends, into a foreign land. But God's work was established in that little maid's heart. That couldn't be taken away. No, she could be taken from her friends, but they couldn't take her from her God. God went with her into that foreign land. And what a witness she was.

And so, new life in Christ is so important. Not to patch up or paint an old building, to begin with a new foundation, a new design, a new plan, A new heart will I give you, a new spirit will I put within you. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh. I will give you a heart of flesh. Jesus came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Our need, dear friends, is to know more of our Lord Jesus as the resurrection life that he has given. and these wonderful blessings are his to give. We sometimes sing these words and we should often give thanks for hymn writers that put gospel truths into words that we can easily remember.

That hymn that begins, written by John Newton, I am, says Christ, your glorious head. May we attention give the resurrection of the dead, the life of all that live. By faith in me, the soul receives new life, though dead before. And he that in my name believes shall live to die no more. What wonderful truths. John Newton, he knew them personally. May we know them, and know them more and be established in those wonderful truths.

Because the Lord Jesus who came to this earth, is he who came not like none other. It was prophesied in Isaiah chapter nine, those five wonderful attributes. His name shall be called wonderful, the Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. And these truths, O Lord, may they be ours, because it is He who has uniquely lived a perfect life on this earth. He is the Lamb without blemish, and because of His perfect righteousness, He is the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.

And of course, Nicodemus, he's mentioned here because he came to Jesus by night. And it's interesting to note, three times Nicodemus is mentioned in the scriptures. And after this, this was the first time he was mentioned, after this, so that there should be no mistake as to his identity, he's referred to as Nicodemus that came to Jesus by night.

And there was a time, and we read of it in John chapter 7, when John 7 verse 37 In the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirsts, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this he spake of the Spirit which They that believe on him should receive, for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified.

Many of the people, therefore, when they heard this saying, said of a truth, this is the prophet. Others said this is the Christ, but some said, shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the scripture said that Christ cometh of the seed of David out of the town of Bethlehem? where David was, and there was a division among the people because of him. And some of them would have taken him, but no man laid hands on him.

Then came the officers to the chief priests and the Pharisees, and said unto him, Why have you not brought him? The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers of the Pharisees believed on him? But this people, who knoweth not the law, are cursed.

Nicodemus saith unto them, he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them, doth our law judge any man before it hear him, and know what he doeth? And they answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look. for out of Galilee arises no prophet. And every man went to his own house. Jesus went to the Mount of Olives."

You see clearly there how the Bible wasn't originally in chapters and there's a continuation of that report. So Nicodemus let his light shine in that situation. Every man went to his own house, and they were ganging up to take the life of Jesus.

And then we read, at the time of the, when our Lord Jesus gave his life, a ransom for many, in chapter 19 in John's Gospel, we read these verses. John 19 and verse, 35 he that saw it bear record and his record is true and he knoweth that he saith true that ye might believe for these things were done that the scripture should be fulfilled a bone of him shall not be broken and again another scripture saith they should look on him whom they pierced and after this Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him leave.

He came therefore and took the body of Jesus, and there came also Nicodemus, which at first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pound weight, Then took they Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus that came by night. They took the body of Jesus and wound it in linen clothes with the spices as the manner of the Jews was to bury.

Now in that place where he was crucified there was a garden. And in the garden a new sepulchre wherein never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus, therefore, because of the Jews' preparation day for the sepulchre, was nigh at hand.

How Nicodemus let his light shine, all because the Lord Jesus came in mercy into his life. Marvel not that I say unto you, he must be born again. And so may the Lord bless his word to us this morning, and may we ever be thankful for the wonderful grace, the saving grace, of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who came to this world, not to do His own will, but the will of Him that sent Him, and to finish His work. To His praise and glory. Amen.