1. When Religion Meets Regeneration (3:1-15)

2. When Religion Meets Regeneration 1.The RELIGIOUS MAN & His SIMPLE QUESTION (vs. 1-2) 2.The RIGHTEOUS SAVIOR & His SHOCKING ANSWER (vs. 3-8) 3.The RELIGIOUS MAN & His STUNNING CONCLUSION (vs. 9-12) 4.The RIGHTEOUS SAVIOR & His SAVING SACRIFICE (vs. 13-15)

3. JOHN 2:23-25 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

4. JOHN 3:1-2 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him."

5. JOHN 3:3-8 Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit…

6. JOHN 3:3-8 …Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

7. Regeneration The act of God by which He imparts eternal life to those who are dead in their sin, thus making them His Children

8. Kingdom of God The Spiritual Realm where those who have been born again by divine power through faith now live under the rulership of God mediated through His Son.

9. Ezekiel 36:24-27 – I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules

10. What does John Want Us To See? 1.A Few Things About Lost People They are Flesh not Spirit They are Truly Living Dead People They Will Not enter the Kingdom of God Their Religious Activities are Useless 2.It is HUMANLY IMPOSSIBLE TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD

11. What does John Want Us To See? 3.Our SALVATION HANGS SOLELY on the FREEDOM & WILL OF GOD 4.There is NO NEW LIFE (Regeneration) APART FROM JESUS

12. JOHN 3:9-12 Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

13. JOHN 3:13-15 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life

14. JOHN 20:31 these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

15. 1 JOHN 5:4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith

16. 1 JOHN 5:11-12 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

17. What Does it mean to Be Born Again In Regeneration (the New Birth) the Holy Spirit supernaturally gives us new spiritual life by connecting us with Jesus Christ through faith. For Jesus is Life