Alright, the reading is this,
verse 14 and following, And as Moses lifted up the serpent in
the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal
life. For God so loved the world that
he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son
into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through
Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not
condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already, because
he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. There it is the second time in
our text. This is the condemnation that
light is come into the world and men love darkness rather
than light because their deeds were evil. For everyone that
doth evil hates the light, neither comes to the light, lest his
deeds should be reproved. But he that doth truth comes
to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they
are wrought in God. John 3, 14 through verse 21. Now, it is always helpful, and
sometimes even necessary, to consider the overall context
in which a passage or a text of Scripture is to be found. That's so that we might know
the occasion of it, why it was said, that we might know the
subject of it, what is in mind in the speaker, and to whom it
is spoken, or to whom it is addressed, and why, so that we might know
these things. Almost all that go to church
know about a nighttime visit of Nicodemus to speak with our
Lord. And Nicodemus was not just a
common or an ordinary layman Jew, as we might say. But in
verse 1 of chapter 3 we see that he was a ruler of the Jew. And some meant that he was a
member of the Jewish Sanhedrin court. The Lord called him down
in verse 10, a master of Israel. That is, a teacher of Israel. As to the sect of this man, he
was a Pharisee by practice and by religion. That was the strictest
sect of all of those sects of the Jew in that day. And yet
was this man, a ruler and a teacher of Israel, ignorant of the doctrine
of regeneration. He knew nothing about it at all. We see that in verse 3 through
verse 13 as our Lord speaks of him. He was ignorant of the new
life put in by God even though it was taught in the Old Testament
Scripture. Now Nicodemus was a man who no
doubt held to the notion prevalent with a majority of the Jews of
that day that lineal or natural descent from Father Abraham made
them automatically subjects of Messiah's kingdom. But the Lord
insists the Nicodemus know a new birth is necessary, regeneration,
an inward spiritual renewal is necessary to enter into the kingdom
of God and to know Him and to have fellowship with Him. But
beginning in verse 14, where we read this morning, we can
see that the Lord speaks to Nicodemus, of more heavenly things, as he
had mentioned earlier. And I believe here that he also
corrects another error of Nicodemus and of the Jews of that day,
that like most of them, he believed that when Messiah appeared, he
would then and there set up a kingdom on earth with Israel as the head
of the nation. You can see this still lingering
in the disciples' minds in Acts chapter 1 and verse 6. That He would overthrow the nations,
overcome them, and exalt Israel again. Instead, the Lord tells
Nicodemus, the Son of Man must be lifted up like the serpent
was lifted up in the wilderness. He calls Himself the Son of Man
and says that He must be lifted up. And of course, He's speaking
of Himself, calling Himself that. In fact, I hadn't really noticed
this, but in reading John Brown this week, he said that the Lord
used this one designation to refer to Himself more than any
other title that He ascribed to Himself during His earthly
ministry. Often referring to Himself as
the Son of Man. So that in John 12 and verse
34, The crowd once asked Him, who is this Son of Man that you
keep talking about? Now, what is the significance
of this designation? That the Lord used it more than
any other to refer to Himself. And as early in His ministry
as John chapter 1 and verse 51, at the calling of Nathanael. Could the Lord possibly have
in His mind such Old Testament text as Psalm 80 and verse 17
that said, Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon
the son of man, whom you have made strong for yourself. And then again Daniel 7 and verse
13 speaks of one like unto the Son of Man. Anyway, the Lord
tells Nicodemus that he, Jesus, the Son of Man, must be lifted
up. He must be lifted up like Moses
lifted up the brazen serpent on a pole yonder in the wilderness. And as you remember, that became
a remedy for the bite of the fiery serpents that the Lord
had sent among the people. And Moses, by God's instruction,
made that serpent of brass and fastened it to a pole and set
it up in the camp of Israel. And when anyone that had been
bitten by one of the fiery serpents simply looked upon it. He was
healed of the deadly bite. They simply lifted up their eyes
and they beheld, they looked upon it, they were healed of
the bite with which they had been inflicted. Now, I emphasize,
just by looking upon it. They did not need to come and
touch it, or to rub it, or to pray to it, or to bow before
it, or to burn candles or incense to it, or to make sacrifice before
it. The command was, look upon it
and be healed of the bite. They need not crawl on their
knees, but look upon it. They need not chant before it,
or around it, or burn candles, but look upon that brazen serpent. Even so, said Jesus, the Son
of Man must be lifted up, referring to His death, upon the cross,
that's what he had in mind, John 12 and verse 33, that everyone
that believes upon Him should not perish but have everlasting
life. I've often wondered if as easy
and accessible as were the cure for the bite of those fiery serpents,
I wonder if there were some Israelites in the camp who considered it
foolishness that a cure could be had by such a simple procedure
as looking upon a serpent of brass And so, considering it
foolishness, perish with their fiery bite. Just as there are
those who count it foolishness that Christ dead and crucified
upon the cross is able to save people, and so they are perishing
in their unbelief. It is ridiculous to some that
a man dying in such an ignominious way should be able to save others. You remember that both Jews and
Greeks took offense at Christ upon the cross. And yet he's
saying here to Nicodemus, I must be lifted up. I must be put upon
a tree. And whosoever, everyone, each
one that believes will not perish, but have everlasting life. Now again, we must remember that
Nicodemus, being a Jew and a descendant of Father Abraham, had some thoughts
in his mind. Number one, he considered the
blessings of Messiah to be restricted mostly unto Israel. Number two,
that all that was necessary to give them a share in Messiah's
blessed kingdom was their physical descendancy from Abraham. And the Lord here requires faith. Simply being a descendant is
not enough to put one in the kingdom of God and in the grace
of God. One must believe. One has faith. He makes this Lord the object
of his faith. And as the Puritan preacher Thomas
Goodwin put it, and I'm quoting, Christ proposed Himself as lifted
upon the cross and crucified as the naked object for their
faith to look at. Unquote. And notice that the
Lord expands the scope of His death beyond physical Israel. Whosoever, everyone believing. And He also uses the word world,
which in John's epistles hardly ever means all without exception. Even when he uses the word world
in John 12 and 19. The whole world in 1 John 2 and
verse 2. And 1 John 5 and 19. Because
in those places, the whole world is contrasted from some others
in the text. Now the love of God is commended
as the contriving of the way to save lost sinners. the love of God shed upon them. Not just the Jew, but the world
or the Gentiles as well. And this love is manifested in
that God sent His only begotten Son, and that everyone believing
on Him should not perish, but have eternal or everlasting life. Now, look down to verse 17. And there we have another far,
which connects with verse 16 if we see. God sent not His Son
to condemn. He did not send forth His Son
for the purpose of condemning the world. He came to seek and
to save that which was lost. Luke 19. and verse 10. 1 Timothy 1 and verse 15, Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief,
says the apostle Paul. One more, Hebrews 9 and verse
26, Once in the end of the world, or literally the ages, has He
appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself, not to
condemn, but to save. Now there is a sense in which
condemnation comes by Christ appearing in the world, as seen
down in verse 19 of the text that we read this morning. We
have time, we might consider that at the end. But now, let's
settle in and focus upon verse 18. And I would like for us to
hear it again. John 3, verse 18. He that believeth on him is not
condemned. He that believeth not is condemned
already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only
begotten Son of God. Now these words must be taken
in their original setting. And they do not teach that none
are condemned until they hear the gospel of Christ and it is
pressed upon them. This is the evil twin of the
age of accountability. even those are condemned who
never heard the gospel and who never heard of Jesus Christ before. But I find agreement with those
expositors who keep to the context that here in verse 18 of John
chapter 3 is a further argument against the Jews in general and
Nicodemus. in particular, that the Jews
are the people of God and the Gentiles are not, they believe,
unless they become proselytes and cross over to Judaism. Now the pressing issue here is
that though Nicodemus was not an atheist or an agnostic. He was not a pagan. He did not subscribe to paganism. He believed in God, as did all
of the Jews. They were monotheists, that is. They believed in one God, and
that was their creed, Deuteronomy 6 and 4. Hear, O Israel, the
Lord our God is one Lord. And that one Lord was Jehovah. And they professed the authority
of the Old Testament Scripture to be divine and inspired. And they even professed and held
to a coming of a great Messiah to bless them. Now before we
proceed, let's look back here at something which the Lord Jesus
has heavily emphasized to the Jew Nicodemus in their conversation. In fact, in verse 18, it is the
third time that the Lord has said this in his conversation
with Nicodemus. Look at verse 14 and 15. Lifted
up that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have
everlasting life. He that believes in Jesus. It's in verse 16 again. Whoso
believes on Him should not perish but have everlasting life. And it's in verse 18 again. He
that believes on Him is not condemned. That is on Jesus. Over against
Nicodemus' belief that one can be born from Abraham and be a
child of God. I had trouble getting my arms
around this so as to explain it to others. So let's see if
we can agree that one, a Jew, as Nicodemus, can believe in
God and still perish. That he believes there's one
God and still perish. He can claim to love God and
not to be a child of God if they leave Jesus Christ out of the
equation. No matter what they profess,
if they leave the Lord Jesus Christ out of the equation, there
is no salvation apart from belief and faith in the Son of God,
even Jesus. Christ is not, to Nicodemus,
emphasizing a belief in God the Father, but believing on the
One that the Father has sent into the world, to be the Savior
of the world and sinners in the world. And that is that belief.
That faith, that trust must be centered in the Son of God, the
Lord Jesus Christ, to be saving. It is that that we call saving
faith. That they who come to God must
come in by and through His Son. so that he that does not believe
on the Son has not accepted God in his Son as he must be. The very one, yea, the only one
that God has sent to save sinners is his Son. Lange's commentary
put it thusly, quote, he has not received the only begotten,
in whom all the value of faith and the fullness of the manifestation
of God is concentrated." The Son cannot be separated from
the Father, and none can come to the Father except by, in,
and through the Son. Now, they still do not like to
hear it. They still have a hissy fit whenever
they hear it, but Jews cannot be saved apart from the Lord
Jesus Christ. He is the only way to the Father
God. This is not only true in regard
to the Jew, but also in regard to the Gentile. No salvation
apart from Christ. None other name given among heaven
whereby we must be saved. Messiah on a cross. is the provision to save sinners
from their sin. They who believe are not condemned,
for they have believed in the name of the only begotten Son
of God. Now, not only is Jesus to be
believed on, but He is also to be believed on as to His true
nature and character. And that is as the only begotten
Son of God. Not by those blasphemous things
that we hear today. Do you ever hear anyone referring
to Jesus or to God or to Jesus particularly as a good old boy? Somebody maybe in a cowboy church
would talk like that. They talk about Him as if He
were purely and only a human Jesus without His divinity. A good teacher, good example. Even a martyr is as far as some
go in regard unto Christ. And it is evident that when he
first came, Nicodemus had deficient views of the Lord and of the
Messiah, rising no higher, notice it, than rabbi. He addresses
him when he comes as rabbi or teacher or master, of course. It was a title of respect. He addresses him as a teacher
come from God, and that God was with him, and that he had done
on that account many wonderful works. But Nicodemus, like all
others, must rise higher than master. or teacher, and the one
who spoke with him was the only begotten Son of God. He was more than a good teacher,
more than a prophet. He is the eternal Son of the
Almighty God. He was with God in the beginning,
and He was God. And according to John 1, He made
all things. In Him was light, and that light
was the light of men. He's the Word who was made flesh. dwelt among us. We beheld His
glory as the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and
of truth. God manifests in the flesh. 1 Timothy chapter 3. And verse
16, when Christ was on the earth in His incarnate flesh, many
took Him to be a special servant of God, and yet still had to
a degree deficient views of His person. He did great things. He taught with authority, and
that impressed them. Who then is this man? They said. Who is this man that
has come to dwell among us? Some said, why, he's John the
Baptist, risen again from the dead. Some took him to be the
prophet Elijah. Others the prophet Jeremiah.
Others said this is the prophet that Moses predicted and spoke
about. And Nicodemus conceded him to
be a great teacher who had the help of God in his life. However, the confession of the
Apostle Peter is the right one, and the Christian one. Matthew
chapter 16 and 16. You are the Christ, the Son of
the living God. We believe and are sure that
you are and that you have the words of eternal life. John 6 and 68, another confession. Now, consider a phrase the Lord
uses in reference to Himself. In John chapter 3, twice, in
verse 16, then in verse 18. The only begotten Son of God. Notice, one, He is the Son of
God. Notice, secondly, He is the begotten
Son of God. And then notice, thirdly, He
is the only begotten Son of God. He's Son of God, He's begotten,
He's the only begotten Son of God. In this sense, now the only
or the unique Shaan of God. The only one, one and no more. This speaks of His nature and
of His essence. This is the favorite word with
John, our author. He uses it in John 1, 14 and
18. Again, in his first epistle,
1 John 4 and verse 9, God sent His only begotten Son into the
world. Now the word is used some nine
times in the New Testament. Luke uses it three times, chapter
7 and 12, 8 and 42, and 9 and verse 38 as for the gospel of
Luke. And in those places it is translated
Probably only. It is translated only as in the
only begotten Son. In chapter 7 and 12, literally,
the only born. That is, Uriah's only daughter. It refers unto her. In 8 and
42, the only born daughter. In 9 and 38, the only child.
The only born unto me." Only one they had. It is also used in Hebrews 11
and verse 17 where it is said that Abraham, when he was tempted
or tried or tested, offered up his only begotten Son. His one and only Son. Notice that he is called the
only Isaac, in Genesis 22 and verse 2, and whom thou lovest. And in Genesis 22 and 12, he
uses the phrase, the son thine only. Thine only son. Now, how is this? Abraham had
other sons. He already had Ishmael, who was
born before Isaac was born. One son before Isaac, several
more after Isaac by his second wife, Keturah. Yet is Isaac,
of all of them called, only begotten. only Son. And it appears to be
the same word in John 3.16 and Hebrews 11 and 17. One referring to Christ, the
other unto Isaac. Now the word maganines, from
the word manos, sole, single, only, mere, alone, the only one. These are some of the meanings
of that word. The only begotten Son of God. And in both instances, God giving
His only begotten Son that he might die for sinners, and Abraham
offering up upon the altar his only begotten son. Now, how precious,
how precious were these sons both in the eyes of their father,
that each one of them, God and Abraham, gave the thing dearest
unto them. In the case of Abraham, it was
the uniquely born son. It was the promised seed. The only one with Sarah and the
only Isaac in all of Abraham's son had any concern in the covenant
was Isaac. the promisee. And when we read,
when we enter into deep thought concerning this expression, the
only begotten Son of God, I think that we must be awfully careful,
we must be very careful to avoid some of the errors that are out
there concerning the person of Christ today. As for example,
number one, that Scripture calls Christ the Son, God's only begotten,
does not mean that the Son had a point of beginning. For the Son had what one called,
quote, an unoriginated relationship, unquote, with the Father. An
eternal relationship in that He is the eternal Son of God. John 17, 1-5. This was before
the world ever began. So the only begotten Son of God
does not mean that Christ or the Son had a point of beginning. Secondly, let's be careful, the
words, only begotten Son of God, do not refer to His virgin birth
by or in the incarnation in the flesh. For He is the only begotten
Son of God as to His divine and eternal nature. For He is, in
John 1.18, the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of
the Father. J.C. Philpott put it this way
in his treatise, The Eternal Sonship of Christ, page 30 and
31, if you have access under that work, quote, Jesus is the
only begotten Son of God as God. That is, his sonship relates
to his divine and eternal nature. In Hebrews 1 in verse 8, he is
called both son and God in one and the same verse. He is both
the Son of God and He is God the Son. Let us not forget that. The only begotten Son of God. Some call this the eternal generation
of the Son of God. That He is the only begotten
Son of God. If we remember from John 19 and
verse 7, the Jews told Pilate that according to their law,
Jesus must die, quote, because he made himself the son of God."
That is, he claimed to be the son of God, he was passing himself
off to men as such, and this they considered blasphemy, and
that was a capital offense in Judaism. Consider Mark 14, 61
and 62. The high priest asked the Lord,
Are You the Christ? That is, are You the Anointed
One, the Son of the Blessed? Jesus answered and said, I am.
In verse 63 through verse 65, the Jews considered that blasphemy
when they heard Christ claim to be the Son of God. Now, listen again. What did the
angel of God say unto Mary? In Luke 1 and verse 35. That holy thing or that holy
one which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. Not called the Son of God by
reason of His being born of Mary, an ordinary woman, or even his
humanity being conceived by the Spirit of God in her. for only
His humanity and not His divine nature was conceived in the Virgin
Mary. And yet is He called the Son
of God. Matthew's account calls Him Immanuel,
God with us, in Matthew chapter 1 and verse 23. Thus, as seen
with the Lord's dealing with Nicodemus. The unbeliever in
Christ's divinity is condemned. He that does not believe the
Lord to be divine, anyone who views him as less than the only
begotten Son of God, who views Him as less than very God, or
less than the Eternal Son, have not believed aright upon Him,
and stand condemned, and are lost." And here I would just
quickly have you to think of all of the cults and their view
of Christ, and some also of the pitiable Arminians. John 3 and
verse 18, He that believes not is condemned already because
he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 1 John 5 and 1 is a great text. And when we look at it, it is
laid out in the Greek. It is even more blessed. It said,
Whosoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.
While he is a liar who denies that Jesus is the Christ, 1 John
2 and 22. In fact, He is an Antichrist
who denies the Father and the Son, 1 John 4, 1-3. Now, He is
not He believes that Jesus is the
Son of God not to be born, but because He is born of God. There's one more point in John
3. It's in verse 19 through 21. We might look at it very quickly.
A source of guilt to the generation of Nicodemus and his fellow Jews,
to whom Christ appeared to them in the flesh. And they're slighting
the revelation of God in Christ Jesus. The very Son of God, the
only begotten Son of God, the Word who put on flesh and dwelt
among them." The very God who dwelt among them in the flesh. God spoke to them in His only
begotten Son. Remember Hebrews 1 and 2? He did all manner of great works
among them. They saw a great light. Light came and dwelt among them. But evil men love darkness rather
than light. because their deeds are evil. And in those verses, 18 and 19,
this is condemnation that light is come, and men love darkness
rather than light, for their deeds are evil. Verse 20, everyone
that doeth evil hates the light, neither comes to the light, lest
his deeds should be reproved. He that does truth comes to the
light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought
in God. So how serious was this to have
Messiah appear even in their midst? and to reject and to crucify
Him as a blasphemer, an imposter, and an enemy of Moses and of
God. The only begotten Son of God
is the character of our Lord and of our Savior. And that's
Him. The only one. begotten of God in the fashion
or the manner that the Son is the only begotten Son of God.