So The Son Of Man Must Be Lifted Up
John 3:9-15
May 15, 2022
Abraham Hong
Sermon Script
Poor Nicodemus. Nicodemus had a conversation with our Lord Jesus Christ. But he didn’t understand what Jesus was saying to him.
What didn’t he understand? Nicodemus didn’t understand the kingdom of God and the need to be born again to be saved. He didn’t understand that he was a self-righteous sinner who needed to be cleansed and forgiven of his sins. He didn’t understand that he was a spiritually dead person who needed the Holy Spirit to make him spiritually alive.
But above all, Nicodemus didn’t understand who Jesus was. So Jesus taught him three important things.
First, in verse 11, Jesus started off slow and told Nicodemus that there was real witness and real testimony about who he really was. He said, “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.”
There was a lot of witness and testimony about Jesus. There was witness from John the Baptist in all that he saw and said about Jesus. There was testimony from Andrew and Peter and Philip and Nathanael. And there was witness and testimony from what happened at the wedding and at the temple.
And what truth was declared through all the witness and testimony about Jesus? Jesus was the Word and the Word became flesh. Jesus was the Lord whose way was to be made straight. Jesus was the Lamb of God who takes away sin. Jesus was the Son of God who baptizes his people with the Holy Spirit. Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus manifested his glory at the wedding and proclaimed his death and resurrection at the temple. Jesus knew what was in man.
That’s a lot of witness and testimony.
But while Nicodemus had all of this knowledge and information about Jesus, the best he could do was believe that Jesus was merely an above-average dude who had God by his side. Remember how Nicodemus began the conversation. He said, “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.” But Jesus was not an above-average dude who had God by his side. Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus was God. Nicodemus heard everything about Jesus. But he received and believed nothing about Jesus.
But Jesus loved Nicodemus. And so the first thing that Jesus wanted Nicodemus to know was that all of the witness and testimony about him was actually true.
This is so important for us to hear today. You have been given the Bible. God has given you all the witness and testimony and knowledge and truth that you need to know and understand. May you receive and believe everything in the Bible - everything about Jesus who is your Savior and Lord.
Praise the Lord.
The second important thing that Jesus taught Nicodemus is seen in verses 12 and 13. Jesus told Nicodemus that he was from heaven. He said, “If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.”
In the beginning of this conversation, Jesus told Nicodemus earthly things. This means things that are about his people on earth. And the main earthly thing is this: Spiritually dead sinners are born again and made spiritually alive by the Holy Spirit. All of that happens on earth.
But Jesus also told Nicodemus heavenly things. This means things that are about him in heaven. And the main heavenly thing is this: Jesus was sent from heaven. Jesus descended from heaven. The Father sent the Son into the world to save sinners. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. All of that came from heaven.
Nicodemus needed to hear this. Because he was only thinking in terms of earthly things and not of heavenly things. Remember what Nicodemus said about being born again. He said, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” But being born again was not an earthly matter. It was a spiritual matter. And Jesus himself was not an earthly man. He was the God-man. Jesus was divine. Jesus was from heaven. Nicodemus did not believe this.
But Jesus loved Nicodemus. And so the second thing that Jesus wanted Nicodemus to know was that he was the Son of God from heaven above.
This is so important for us to hear today. You must realize that here at Highland we are centered on heavenly things. And we wholeheartedly believe that Jesus came from heaven above. We do not lay up for ourselves treasures on earth. We lay up treasures in heaven. And when we die, we die with mortal bodies that are perishable and natural and earthly. But when Jesus comes back and when our bodies are resurrected, we will arise with immortal bodies that are imperishable and spiritual and heavenly. Even now, you are in a very real sense, a heavenly people, not an earthly people.
Praise the Lord.
The third and final important thing that Jesus taught Nicodemus is seen in verses 14 and 15. Jesus told Nicodemus that he will be lifted up so that his people may have eternal life. He said, “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.”
Jesus was referring to an Old Testament story in Numbers 21. A story that Nicodemus would have definitely remembered. In that story, God saved his people from slavery in Egypt and they were traveling to the land of promise. But God’s people complained and rebelled and sinned against him. As a consequence for what they did, God sent them fiery serpents. They were bitten by the fiery serpents. And many of them died. So they asked Moses to pray to God so that he would take away the serpents from them.
So Moses prayed for the people. And God said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And anyone who was bitten by the fiery serpents could live by looking at the bronze serpent on the pole.
But what was the meaning of the bronze serpent on the pole? It’s sounds weird. Lifting up the bronze serpent sounds like worship to the bronze serpent. But that wasn’t the meaning of what Moses made.
The meaning was this. God’s people was supposed to understand the bronze serpent on the pole as nothing less than a dead serpent. A serpent that was slain… slain by God. So if you were bitten by a serpent, you were to look at the bronze serpent lifted up on the pole and you were to have faith that God would heal you and you would live. That was Numbers 21.
And Jesus basically told Nicodemus that Numbers 21 was ultimately about him. Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must Jesus be lifted up. Lifted up on a cross. And so if Nicodemus wanted to be forgiven of his sin and have eternal life, he must look at Jesus who must be and who eventually would be lifted up. Jesus who would be crucified. Jesus who would die for Nicodemus’ sin. And Nicodemus, in order to live, must look to Jesus and have faith in him. Faith in Christ crucified and risen. Faith in the Son of Man lifted up. Jesus was the one who was going to save him. Nicodemus needed Jesus.
And Jesus loved Nicodemus. So the third and final thing that Jesus wanted Nicodemus to know was that he must die for Nicodemus’ sin so that Nicodemus would have eternal life.
This is so important for us to hear today. Jesus was lifted up for your salvation. He was lifted up in his crucifixion. He was lifted up to die for your sin. And whoever believes in Jesus will have eternal life. Thanks be to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Praise the Lord.
Dear Highland, at one point in our spiritually dead lives, we did not know or understand anything about Jesus. We were like Nicodemus. Today’s passage is a heartfelt reminder to us about God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord. Be comforted and strengthened right now. You have been born again by the work of the Holy Spirit. Your sins have been forgiven. And you are now a heavenly people who have eternal life forever.
Praise the Lord.
May the grace of Jesus be with you all.
Come, Lord Jesus, come soon!
Soli Deo Gloria