The Lamb is the Son of Man
Notes
Transcript
The Son of Man
John 3:1-15
INTRODUCTION
Who does the world think Jesus is?
Islam- great prophet
Judaism- a respected teacher and miracle worker who died on the cross, but not resurrection.
Hinduism- a holy Man and Wise Teacher- He is a god.
Buddhism- An enlightened man and wise teacher.
Jesus' favorite term for himself is "son of man".
ILL-- “Son of” = he has come from.
-I am the “Son of Joe Vallandingham” “you are your father’s son”
-Not saying biological.
-It’s a reference to nature. I act like.
Jesus is not saying he acts like mankind. Mankind is sinful.
Jesus comes from man- He is flesh.
No sin nature because he was born of woman and Spirit. Sin nature is passed through males.
This is a reference to Jesus being human.
2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,
13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.
14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
Jesus is the Son of Man
1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
2 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.”
3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 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?”
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
8 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.”
9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?”
10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?
11 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.
12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
SET-UP
This story is an example of the last few verses of chapter 2- Jesus doesn't believe their believing.
Nicodemus was a Pharisee and on the Sanhedrin.
He searches for the truth of who Jesus is.
John 7 he argues with the Sanhedrin about whether they should arrest him.
50 Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them,
51 “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?”
2 Parts to this story: What Nicodemus thought of Jesus and what Jesus thought of Nicodemus.
What Nicodemus Thought of Jesus (1-2)
4 Misunderstandings
4 Misunderstandings
1. Jesus was a Rebel
1. Jesus was a Rebel
2 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.”
he came at night
Cleansing of Temple
2. Jesus was his Equal
2. Jesus was his Equal
2 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.”
Rabbi- an equal.
Many religions think of Jesus as just a good teacher.
3. Jesus was Comprehensible
3. Jesus was Comprehensible
2 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.”
He thought he Understood- "We know" (yet he didn't know)
He thought he had Jesus figured out.
4. Jesus was Only Man
4. Jesus was Only Man
2 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.”
Powerful- "unless God is with him"
What Jesus Thought of Nicodemus (3-15)
4 Understandings
4 Understandings
1. Nicodemus was Earthly (not spiritual) (3-8)
1. Nicodemus was Earthly (not spiritual) (3-8)
Being religious was not enough for Nicodemus.
3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
He needed a second birth, a spiritual birth.
4 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?”
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
Spiritually dead even with the vast knowledge.
8 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.”
vs. 8 "so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit"- evidence of being born of the Spirit= everyone around you knows you are different but they may not know where it comes from or where it is going.
Spiritual rebirth comes with a change that is evident to those around you.
2. Nicodemus was Ignorant (9-10)
2. Nicodemus was Ignorant (9-10)
9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?”
10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?
He did not understand.
36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them.
37 Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him,
38 so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
39 Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said,
40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.”
3. Nicodemus was Hard (11-12)
3. Nicodemus was Hard (11-12)
11 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.
12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
Nicodemus was not receiving the testimony of Jesus.
Hard Heart- (Seed and Sower)
Nicodemus was seeking great spiritual insight. If you don't believe the simple don't expect to understand deep spiritual truth.
4. Redeemable (13-15)
4. Redeemable (13-15)
13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
Nicodemus is ultimately redeemed.
He is not here- proof is in his continued secrecy. If you deny Jesus before man... he will deny you before the Father.
At crucifixion Nicodemus has a public profession.
39 Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight.
What was in secret here becomes public upon Jesus' death.
This is an eye witness account. Nicodemus is the most likely source of this story.
CONCLUSION
No matter who you are and what you have done...
You are redeemable.
You are redeemable.
What does Jesus think about you?