Regeneration; A Work of the Spirit
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Jesus and Nicodemus
Jesus and Nicodemus
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 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.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 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?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 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.”
Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 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.
There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
Pharisee- Elite group of students of Old Testament Mosaic Law. The most devoted to tradition. Isolationist, deemed the entire population aside from themselves as cursed.
Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples: “The scribes and the Pharisees are seated in the chair of Moses. Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don’t do what they do, because they don’t practice what they teach. They tie up heavy loads that are hard to carry and put them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves aren’t willing to lift a finger to move them. They do everything to be seen by others: They enlarge their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people.
“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ because you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters. Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven. You are not to be called instructors either, because you have one Instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
WOE TO YOU, WOE TO YOU
So all the righteous blood shed on the earth will be charged to you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. Truly I tell you, all these things will come on this generation.
They were sons of Hell who created more sons of Hell
Pharisee's were legalist
Nicodemus was a prime Legalist...
Pharisees wouldn’t look at their reflection on the sabbath in case they saw a gray hair and pulled it out that would be a violation of working on the sabbath. They could swallow vinegar for a sore throat but couldn’t gargle it. WORKING
There were roughly 6000 Pharisee's at the time of our Lord
Nicodemus 1 of 2 Pharisee's that came to Christ in the Bible. Somewhere between chapter 7 and chapter 19. The only other being Paul, who was called by Jesus.
Ruler of the Jews refers to the Jewish governing body known as the Sanhedrin. Sanhedrin was the “supreme court” if you will of the Jewish people. The Sanhedrin was made up of 70 men. Nicodemus would have been top 3.
The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
Nicodemus coming at night is widely preached on... my belief is to keep it simple.. he knew in His heart his deficiency. Nicodemus knew in his heart that he was a fraud... a hypocrite and that’s why he comes to Jesus. He was afraid of the ridicule and the repercussions of visiting with Jesus. So he comes under the cover of darkness.
Meeting of the Sanhedrin
Meeting of the Sanhedrin
John 7:50–52 “Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.”
Verse 52 a shot at THE Teacher because he KNEW scripture
Nicodemus believed in Jesus but did not have saving faith. Knew he came from God because of the signs. Knew Him as a profit, a teacher or a preacher but NOT Lord.
Notice He called Jesus Rabbi… A sign of respect. Nicodemus would have been called Rabbi his self. Chief Teacher in Israel. A step ahead of other Pharisees who believed He came from Hell.
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Did Nicodemus ask a question??
Did Nicodemus ask a question??
Omniscience
Omniscience
Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.
Jesus is omniscient, he knew what Nicodemus was thinking.
Truly truly appears 25 times in the gospel of John “this is new”
Judaism taught Jews were already in the kingdom.
Born Again ‘Anothen’ (ah-no-thin) in the Greek can mean born from above.
Same word is translated 5 times as born again and 2 times as born from above in John..
Regeneration is a WORK OF THE SPIRIT
Regeneration is a WORK OF THE SPIRIT
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
We did not participate in our election before time and we did not participate in our own birth
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
Did Nicodemus not understand what Jesus had said?
Did Nicodemus not understand what Jesus had said?
This is more sarcastic than anything… Nicodemus understood this as Jesus meant it…
He recognizes this as being Humanly Impossible
He recognizes this as being Humanly Impossible
By recognizing this he would of realized that a new physical birth would not produce salvation
So that though a man “could enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born,” he would be no nearer this “new birth” than before
Nicodemus knew his deficiency, that is why he was there meeting with Jesus.
He was having a hard time believing that salvation was out of his control… it goes against everything he was taught and everything he himself taught others.
New Testament (Second Edition) 3:1–8: Conversion as Birth from Above
Nicodemus should have understood that Jesus meant conversion; but it never occurs to him that someone Jewish would need to convert to the true faith of Israel.
Heart of the Gospel of Grace isn’t it?? We are Lost and Undone before a Holy Righteous God. But Jesus
John’s Gospel, Hebrews–Revelation Jesus and Nicodemus (1–21)
In order to enter the kingdom—in order to understand divine revelations such as this—one must have an experience which transports beyond the mere observation of “signs.”
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
I have heard sermons on water being baptism and water being physical birth... Christian Baptism wasn't in practice until the second chapter of Acts. and a woman's water breaking to signify birth wasn't used in Hebrew culture at that time.
Moreover Nicodemus would have been very familiar with this old testament prophecy.. Likely he had it memorized as it was read very often… He probably read it aloud often.
I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will place my Spirit within you and cause you to follow my statutes and carefully observe my ordinances.
The most important eschatological image! Here Israel’s heart will be transformed.
5 times I WILL I WILL I WILL I WILL I WILL
5 times I WILL I WILL I WILL I WILL I WILL
New creation… Regeneration
I will give them integrity of heart and put a new spirit within them; I will remove their heart of stone from their bodies and give them a heart of flesh, so that they will follow my statutes, keep my ordinances, and practice them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Works of the flesh is flesh. There is no way to get from flesh to Spirit.
This is Nicodemus failing to understand the Old Testament doctrine of sin, the doctrine of depravity.
“Sarx” is the word used by John here for “flesh”. Generally used to express humanity under the conditions of this life… with a more definite hint at the sinful and fallible nature of humanity.
One writer explains it as...
flesh—Not the mere material body, but all that comes into the world by birth, the entire man; yet not humanity simply, but in its corrupted, depraved condition, in complete subjection to the law of the fall
We must have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to enter the Kingdom of God.
Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again. The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
Interesting to note that the “You” is plural here.. Likely meaning Nicodemus and other Sanhedrin members.
While the wind’s origin is invisible, its effects can be observed… it is the same with those born of the Spirit.
Everyone is familiar with books on how to be born again…
How to books.... Steps to take.... Prayers to pray
How come we never see books on “How to Make the Wind Blow”?
Because it is absolutely ridiculous
The laws which govern the motion of the winds are even yet but partially discovered; but the risings, failings, and change in direction many times in a day, of those gentle breezes here referred to, will probably ever be a mystery to us: So of the operation of the Holy Ghost in the new birth.
We MUST be drawn by the Spirit! It is a work of God!
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
This is more evidence that Nicodemus is outside the kingdom and that he cannot penetrate its deeper truths.
Nicodemus had an “unsaving understanding”
Much like Paul on the Damascus Road.
Though the subject still confounds Nicodemus, the necessity and possibility of the new birth is no longer the point with him, but the nature of it and how it is brought about
Nicodemus is wandering “what more must I do? what am I doing that I should stop doing?”
John 3:10 (ESV)
Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?
Nicodemus studied his whole life and this is contradictory to all his teaching… Flabbergasted at his own understanding
We see here Jesus tells us that the Old Testament points to this… Nicodemus should have understood this. Without the Holy Spirit we cannot understand the truths of God.
John’s Gospel, Hebrews–Revelation Jesus and Nicodemus (1–21)
He refers to Nicodemus as a rabbi (3:10) just as Nicodemus had referred to Jesus (3:2), but now we see that this teacher does not know the answers. Jesus is the only “true rabbi” who can explain the deeper mysteries of God.
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.
So we see here Nicodemus did not accept Jesus’ testimony at this time… it wasn’t God’s time
Nicodemus wanted to be in the Kingdom, But it’s God’s sovereign grace that saves, not men’s works.
ye receive not, &c.—referring to the class to which Nicodemus belonged, but from which he was beginning to be separated in spirit.
We looked at John chapter 7 already but lets look farther and see more on Nicodemus. We see Nicodemus again in John 19:38-42
After this, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus—but secretly because of his fear of the Jews—asked Pilate that he might remove Jesus’s body. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and took his body away. Nicodemus (who had previously come to him at night) also came, bringing a mixture of about seventy-five pounds of myrrh and aloes. They took Jesus’s body and wrapped it in linen cloths with the fragrant spices, according to the burial custom of the Jews. There was a garden in the place where he was crucified. A new tomb was in the garden; no one had yet been placed in it. They placed Jesus there because of the Jewish day of preparation and since the tomb was nearby.
75Lbs. Was an Amount for the noblest. Nicodemus and Joseph are no longer afraid. They have finally forsook all.
No Longer Afraid! Embracing God’s Will for Their Lives!
What else?? Tradition Says… Not Scriptural
Well…
Tradition says Nicodemus defended Jesus at his trial before pilot. Not so brash as the burial account but still there. Tradition also says he was baptized by Peter and John shortly after and was excommunicated from Jerusalem by the Pharisee's. Driven into poverty. Tradition says he was beaten to death and martyred for confessing faith in Christ. His family left deprived and desolate. Reduced to utter poverty. Reduced to the shame of digging in dung piles to find grain to eat…Old Traditional story; Nicodemus’s Daughter was approached by a Rabbi who see's her digging in a dung pile looking for grain and feels compassion towards her. He ask who she is. She said she was the daughter of Nicodemus. The rabbi reportedly ask what had become of her father and she said He followed Christ and was banished... He refused to help.
There is no formula... no cut and dry prayer... if you're here today you are in the right place... cry out to God... Cry out for faith. God is working in everyone's life... the saved and unsaved.