Night School

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Famous verse: John 3 verse 16 in the middle of our reading today.

Jesus interaction with Nicodemus has some things to teach us today.

Please stand as we honor the reading of God’s Word:

John 3:1–21 NIV

1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” 4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” 9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. 10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

THE WORD OF GOD, FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD

Jesus Schools Nicodemus

Subject Matter

Remediation

Detention

Assignment

Jesus schools Nicodemus about His mission to save and provide eternal life.

Nicodemus only mentioned in John’s gospel. We’ll see him later in this gospel, too.

Subject Matter

Foundational to the rest of John - John builds on today’s scripture reading as we move forward into the gospel of John.

Born again (timing) / from above (place) - dual meaning in the Greek - Jesus seems to imply both but Nicodemus thinks of re-birth only

NIV Ecclesiastes chapter 11 verse 5 -

5 As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.

As a Pharisee - Nicodemus should have understood - but he asks, “How?”

Remediation

NIV Proverbs chapter 30 verse 4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know!

Lifted Up - Numbers chapter 21 verses 4-9

Like Moses to Israel - God offers Jesus to the World - to look to Him and be saved.

The world has a problem. Mankind is in...

Detention

I could go through scripture and quote what is wrong in the world today - how far “off base” they are in relationship to God’s standards

Mankind starts out in detention - after the fall in the Garden of Eden

Jesus came to SAVE! and that is the...

Assignment

Live in the light! Help others to come out of the darkness.

verse 21 in NLT - “But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”

New Interpreter's Bible - “Who people are is determined by their response to Jesus.”

Jesus Schools You and Me

Subject Matter

Remediation

Detention

Assignment

John 1:17 NIV

17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Grace - God so loved the world that He gave His Son and eternal life to those who believe in Him

Truth - We must be re-born from above. Jesus can save anyone from the darkness and empower them to walk in the light as a witness to God’s salvation.