What Does Love Have To Do With It?

(Fayette County Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance - 4th Quarter Praise and Worship Service)




John 3:1-16


My sermon title came from a movie I saw about a well know singer, Tina and her manager and husband, Ike Turner.  Their marriage did not end well-because fame, status and money was in it, but Jesus was not.


Nicodemus, a Pharisees- a religious leader, wealthy, educated and a well respected man. A teacher of the Old Testament law, came to Jesus by night wanting to know how he could be born again.

Coming to someone by night must mean you are embarrassed, asham of them or did not want to be seen with them for some reason or the other.  Nicodemus knew what he wanted and came to get what he needed.

Jesus, being the rabbi, teacher that he was of the New Testament did not mind this, because God told us over 2,000 years ago to come as we are.  Those who are laboring and heavily laden, burden down to come to Him, and He will help us.

Nicodemus a ruler of the Jews did not know he was talking to the King of the Jews, the King Of Kings and the Lord Of Lords.

Jesus and Nicodemus did a lot of dialoging back and forth because of Nicodemus question, "How can he be born again, can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, being an older man?

Jesus drilled Nicodemus very good, as if he was in the army drilling his men.  Asking him questions and asking why he did not know the answers because he was a teacher, and a man of authority and power.

Jesus knew Nicodemus did not know about heavenly things, mercy and grace spoken in the new testament so he told him about earthy, natural things, that he knew of in the old testament.  Taking him down memory lane.

Nicodemus still did not know he was talking to the word of God, A counselor, A Mighty God, Our Father and The Prince of Peace.  When Jesus asked him a question - he already knew the answerer, as Shirley Ceasar says, "When God ask a question He already knows the answer."

Being born again is the same thing as being saved - which is found in Romans 10:9-11
If we believe in our heart and confess with our mouth that God raised Jesus from the dead, we shall be saved...

When we ask God for something/a question His answer is either no, yes or wait. He don't usually give us a straight answer, if He did we would never talk to Him, thank Him for what we have, pray or read our bibles.  If He gives us an answer right away we would have no reason to Praise and Worship Him.


What Does Love Have To Do With It?"

Deuteronomy 6:5 and Matthew 22:37 - Jesus says,

Love God with all our heart (mind), our soul, and with all our might- with all our being.

Love your neighbor as thyself.

Jesus new commandment in John 13:34 says, "Love one another; as he has loved us.



THIS IS WHAT LOVE HAS TO DO WITH IT

John 3:16 says,

"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.


Paul, whose name use to be called Saul, said he was the chief of sinners. Use to crucify the saints of God and throw them in jail asked, "Who shall separate us from the love of God."  Then he thought about this thing, being inspired by God to write, said,  "Neither height, now death, or principalities, things to come, things in the past, things in the future, things in the present, nor beings or creatures shall separate us from the love of God.



Alter Call - There is room at the cross. Come as you are, like Nicodemus did.