CHRISTIAN OR CHAMELEON – Which are you?

John 3:17-21

This story actually begins with a man named Nicodemus.

Three things about Nicodemus

A picture of a modern man with three masks on, but Jesus talks with Nicodemus just as He talks to modern man through His word today.

Nicodemus was not only a Jew, but a Pharisee as well.  Pharisees were the Old Testament group that believed that the Messiah was coming the first time as the Judge.

But Jesus begins to tell him in verse 17 that He was not sent to judge but to save the world…..“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him”.

Whoever does not believe in Him is condemned. Why? “Because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

The picture of the world then and now, is that the world is lost. Our position is something like a person in prison being asked whether or not we will accept a pardon. The person is not being told that he or she is on trial because he or she is already condemned and waiting for execution.

The Gospel tells us that a pardon is offered. The Gospel is to save those who are already lost. So you have accepted the pardon, believed in Him, and have eternal life!

Verse 18: “Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

Now you have become a Christian – a follower of Jesus Christ. But are we a “Real Christian” or like Nicodemus, are we a Chameleon who changes with the scenery?

In verse 19 we see a picture of Jesus, the Light, and the devil, the darkness.

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.”

In verse 21 we see a picture of the Christian:

“But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested (made known) as having been wrought by God.”

In verse 21, we see the picture of the Chameleon:

“For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.”

Some Christians won’t come to Church anymore because they don’t want their deeds exposed but when you see them on the street they will tell you, “Yes, I am a Christian”.

They change color in the new scenery.

What will you and I be tomorrow in a different atmosphere, or scenery in life?

A.     A Christian – Practicing the truth…

B.     A Chameleon – One who changes colors to suit the time……

Jesus ends His interview with Nicodemus and one day

He will end His interview with us.