Jesus The Teacher

Introduction

Jesus was different and it was evident to everyone. His popularity grew exponentially because He taught as no one else did (with authority), He could do miraculous feats that none had seen before, and His character was distinct. Not only this, but Jesus challenged cultural norms in favor of pleasing God (ex: cleansing the temple, 2:13-17).

Whispers of this man’s identity must have been spreading. Questions were being asked, “Is He really from God? Could He be the Messiah? Is He insane? What will come from all this?” The best way to find out was to ask Jesus Himself. One man went to do just that (vs. 1).

When we think of the Pharisees we picture a legalistic group who hated Jesus and were spiritually blind. Most people in that sect fits such a description, but that is an oversimplification. The Pharisees were well-studied men who knew the Scriptures inside and out, having memorized the Torah and all the traditions of the elders. They devoted their lives to teaching God’s Law and instructing His people on daily living in accordance with the Scriptures. Some Pharisees recognized Jesus was different and wanted to know more, they even began to follow Him. One such Pharisee was Nicodemus.

Nicodemus made some amazing declarations to Jesus (vs. 2): he called Jesus “Rabbi,” he was fully convinced Jesus came from God as a teacher, and he believed the miracles Jesus performed were done by God’s hand. This is one of the rulers of the Jews acknowledging the greatness of a guy from the Podunk town of Nazareth.

Nicodemus was an expert in the Law (vs. 10) and he came to Jesus for learning. Jesus primarily dealt with two topics in His ministry: being born again and the kingdom of God (vs. 3) Let’s learn what the Great Teacher had to say.

I. Being Born Again (vs. 3-8)

A. Do you want to see God’s kingdom? Here’s the reality, you have to be born again

1. Try to imagine Nicodemus’ face, such a confusing statement

a. His response shows us what he was thinking (vs. 4): “Jesus, you must have misspoken. Birth was a onetime event. Think about it, how can someone reenter his mother’s womb and be born a second time?”

b. Jesus declared this statement for this reason, if Nicodemus was genuinely interested in learning he would seek to know

1. Many Pharisees already hated Jesus. Was this a plot to destroy Him? A simple test proved that Nicodemus wanted to learn at the Master’s feet

2. The question for further clarification gave Jesus the green light to share the truths of God’s kingdom

2. Now Jesus sets out to correct his question. It’s not a physical, fleshly birth, but a spiritual birth (vs. 5-8)

a. Man is not doing any of the work, it’s a birth done by the Holy Spirit

1. The word “again” is a word that means “from above” this spiritual birth is a birth from above, as in, from God

2. Colossians 2:12–13 “having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,”

b. We know the promises God gives of salvation at the moment of baptism (forgiveness and the indwelling Holy Spirit, Acts 2:38). These originate from God through Jesus’ sacrifice and applied by the Holy Spirit

c. You don’t know how it works but you trust in the promise

B. Let’s not lose sight of what Jesus is teaching: to enter God’s kingdom one must be born of water and the spirit

1. Let me ask a question, “what connection is there between dunking someone under water and forgiveness of sins?” Only what God has placed

a. It is the believer’s participation in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (Romans 6:3-5)

b. It is an appeal to God for a clear conscience, no longer attached to sin but to life in Jesus (1 Peter 3:21)

2. Baptism itself means nothing if faith does not precede it

a. According to human logic the act of baptism makes no sense. That’s why it’s an act of faith

b. We trust in God’s promise that we receive forgiveness of sins and are born again into a new life at the moment of baptism. Therefore, we submit to Him

c. Not because of the water or the person doing the baptizing, but because of our faith in the promise of God: we will be born again

II. The Kingdom of God (vs. 9-21)

A. Nicodemus was just as confused as ever (vs. 9-16)

1. “How can this be?” In other words, “how does this work?”

a. All he has known is circumcision as the seal of God’s covenant with Israel

b. Now a man needs to be born from above?

2. Even experts have a lot to learn (vs. 10-13)

a. Jesus is speaking of things He had witnessed and known intimately, because He is from heaven (He is God)

b. He is explaining salvation using earthly terms for our understanding. Does Nicodemus believe it or not?

3. This is why belief in Jesus is so important (vs. 14-16)

a. He has proven He is from God, Nicodemus believed that

b. Jesus speaks the truth. If we want what He promises then we follow His instructions. Believe in who He is and obey what He tells us

B. We are born again in this life, which means, we get to see God’s kingdom in this life

1. His kingdom is a reality in the church

a. It’s not a societal kingdom, but one written on the tablets of our hearts

b. Colossians 1:13–14 “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

2. What kind of kingdom will people see when they are born again?

a. A spiritual kingdom (vs. 12). The qualities, location, and purpose are heavenly; sourced from God not anything man comes up with

b. The Son of Man plays a pivotal role in establishing and running it (vs. 13-21)

1. He has seen and knows what God has done and is doing (vs. 13)

2. Lifted up (sacrificed) to give benevolent gifts (salvation and eternal life) (vs. 14-17)

3. He is the means of salvation and the standard for right living (vs. 18-21)

c. It’s a kingdom of life (vs. 15)

d. A kingdom of light (pure, good things) (vs. 19)

e. A kingdom of truth (vs. 21)

f. A kingdom of neighbors loving the way God does (vs. 21)

Application:

-If you want to see the kingdom of God then it starts with faith

A. Belief in Jesus leads us to…

1. Be born again by water and the Spirit (baptism, vs. 5)

2. Look to Jesus as the example of Godly living (vs. 19)

3. Walk in the truth (vs. 21)

4. Do good works in the name of the Father (vs. 21)

B. We don’t know how much Nicodemus absorbed that night, but we know He believed in Jesus enough to follow Him secretly (John 19:39)

1. I suppose the question is, “Where will our belief in Jesus lead us?”

2. When we start to live by faith and walk in the light of life (the ways of Jesus) then we see God’s kingdom become what He intended: a light in the darkness

a. That is only a reality when we live by faith in this new life that Jesus gave us

b. Jesus is the Master Teacher. He has a lot to teach us no matter how much we have learned so far

3. Jesus is teaching us how to see and experience God’s kingdom in full

a. Find one way where you can do good for someone this week, giving praise to God the Father

b. Keep learning at the feet of Jesus, the Master Teacher