Story of Monica from friends- Monica’s cupboard the mess behind all the rest of the sparkling clean house. Some people look good on the outside but have a Monica’s cupboard in their hearts.
John3:1 Nicodemus, a Pharisee, the teacher of the law, holding a place on the Jewish ruling council. He carries respect and authority. But he can to Jesus at night. Why? He had a secret cupboard. He confessed that the Pharisees knew that Jesus was from God, but were also plotting to kill Jesus.
Jesus did not get mad with the repentant sinner but with the Pharisees. Mt 23:25-27 Woe to you Pharisees. On the outside you appear righteous but on the inside you are unclean. What do we look like on the inside and out? What is the true nature of our hearts?
What does this religious spirit look like?
1) Defined by hypocrisy- judging others, presenting a false front.
2) They have wrong priorities- they major on the things people can see.
3) They have a wrong emphasis, nit picking the unimportant things and miss out on the real life issues.
4) Self righteousness, we make ourselves look important to God.
5) It’s just built on pride and arrogance.
6) There is no spiritual life in religion, but serve out of duty.
So too does the religious person need to repent of their religion. What did Jesus say to Nicodemus?
Three things
Vs 5 be born again. Like in snakes and ladders- getting to the top and then going down a snake and starting again. For those at the top to slide all the way back to the beginning. There is no mid coarse correction. Start again and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you on the journey.
- Vs 8 be born of the Spirit. Like a tree in the wind not in the box controlled by the law. Learn to let go of control into God’s hand. Be lead by the Holy spirit.
- Vs9 and John 3:14-16 Learn to look to Jesus and Jesus alone. Like with the Israelites and the snakes in the desert. When they were bitten the only hope of salvation was to look to the bronze snake on the pole. This is a picture of Jesus on the Cross. Faith in Jesus alone saves us. Nothing that we do can save us.
John19:38-40 Nicodemus helped bury Jesus’ body. He had a saving life adjusting moment in his life as he bowed the knee to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
What is in the secret cupboards of our lives? Let Jesus in to clean them.
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