The Teaching of Nicodemus:

Introduction:

Good, Morning everyone, How is everyone doing? last week we talk about first passover during Jesus ministry. in which we learn of some problem with worldly gain, and taking advantaged of those who are in need. we also really got into the authority that was given to Christ. This week we are going to be looking at particular moment in Christ life. we are going to be looking two people and a question that was asked in the conversation between the two. the first is our person who asked the question Nicodemus, secondly we are going to be looking at how and what Jesus Christ is Teaching Nicodemus, and Our main passage for today is going to be from John 3:1-21

John 3:1–21 (NKJV)

1 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 and said to him, “Most assuredly, 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, “Most assuredly, 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 the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”

10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

So let us break this passage down, and see what is Christ trying to teach all Christians.

Nicodemus:

So for our first point for today is Nicodemus, who was Nicodemus, what kind of a person he was, and what kind of question he ask, and why? So for starters we come to understand some history of Nicodemus. Nicodemus was part of religious leaders in Jerusalem, Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin. Let turn in our Bibles to Jn 7:45-52

John 7:45–52 (NKJV)

45 Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why have you not brought Him?”

46 The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this Man!”

47 Then the Pharisees answered them, “Are you also deceived? 48 Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.”

50 Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, 51 “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?”

52 They answered and said to him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.”

From this passage here in John we come glimpse the life of Nicodemus, who had to not only deal with the Jewish people of the time but he also had to deal with the Sanhedrin, the Sadducees, and the Pharisees. Nicodemus had to deal with the Politic within these group Nicodemus on the other hand sought out to seek the truth, and we come to understand that Nicodemus had questions. Nicodemus who was known within his community would go and speak with Jesus Christ at night we come to see that from verse 1 and 2 from our main passage in John 3:1-2

John 3:1–2 (NKJV)

1 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.”

Just from from these couple verse here leads to why would Nicodemus visited with Jesus at night? well there could be several reasons behind why Nicodemus visited Jesus at night. Probably the only time they could meet, or Nicodemus being a member of the Sanhedrin most of the members would not agree with meeting with Jesus Christ. all we can see is that this was important to mention. lets turn our Bibles to Jn 19:39

John 19:39 (NKJV)

39 And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.

whatever it was to why Nicodemus chose to visit Jesus Christ during the night was not issue. we come to understand that this meeting with Jesus Christ happen because Jesus Christ had impress Nicodemus, Nicodemus was one of the few who were impress by the miracles of Jesus Christ. Lets turn in our Bibles to John 2:23

John 2:23 NKJV

23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.

There is good chance that Nicodemus was one of the those among the crowd of people who have witness Jesus Christ public miracle signs. This allow us to look at the second part of verse 2 in John 3. When Nicodemus comes to Jesus, we come to see that Nicodemus acknowledges Jesus coming from God. This leads us into our next point for the day which is Jesus Christ who in turn teaches Nicodemus.

Teaching Nicodemus:

Now this lead to an interesting conversation between these two men. Nicodemus acknowledges that Jesus Christ is a teacher that God had sent back in verse two. This allow us to look at verse 3 here in John 3:3

John 3:3 NKJV

3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

We come to understand that Jesus being the son of God, and is able to read the minds of men remember back from last week sermon at the end of our main passage John 2:24-25

John 2:24–25 NKJV

24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.

saw that Nicodemus had questions that need to be answered about the Kingdom of Heaven. the only problem that Nicodemus had is that he share with the Jewish world was a common misconception about the Kingdom. The Jewish world was thinking about a worldly kingdom that God was going to establish here on earth, but here in verse 3 Jesus explains that no one is able to see the kingdom of God, unless he is born again. this is the only time within scripture that this phrase is ever used. thus beginning the outline of becoming a disciple of Christ, but throughout the rest of scripture many are only told to believe, repent, and be baptized. basically meaning unless to change your ways and live according to God will. You will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven we all see that from Acts 2:37-38.

Acts 2:37–38 NKJV

37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” 38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

From these two verse here in Acts we that Peter tells the crowed of people who feel guilty of killing the Christ. Peter tells to change their ways, and be baptized. another example comes from Acts 22:16.

Acts 22:16 NKJV

16 And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’

As Christians our faith eventually leads us to being baptized. Peter is commanding them to be born again, why do you wait? Then Peter again later calls Christians out in 1st Pet 1:22-23

1 Peter 1:22–23 NKJV

22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,

Just from these verse here we come to see that the Apostle explain that what Jesus was teaching to Nicodemus about being born again or emphasis on being born of water. we also see in verse 15-16 in John 3:15-16

John 3:15–16 NKJV

15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

That Faith plays a big role in those who believe. another thing to realize is that Jesus was also trying to explain to Nicodemus that he had misunderstood just like the rest of the Jewish world that Kingdom of God was going to be a worldly kingdom and in order to entered by an earthly birth. in oppose to rather a spiritual Kingdom, and to be reborn in the spirit. As Christians we come to understand that this kingdom was not mark by human armies but by the workings of the God’s spirit. this allow us to look at John 3:6-8

John 3:6–8 NKJV

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 the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

From these three verse here Jesus uses a great illustration of the wind. How we can see the effect of wind and not actually see the wind. Jesus was teaching here that the spirit works like the wind. we can see the working of the spirit, but yet we cannot see the Spirit. this was a new concept for Nicodemus, and we also understand why this would be hard to understand for Nicodemus. we can see that in verse 4 and 10 in John 3. Even today many people struggle with this concept how the spirit works, how to change themselves for God. Being a Christian is complex in some ways and its easy in other ways.

Conclusion:

The ultimate goal here for Jesus was to teach about how the Kingdom of God was not a worldly kingdom and that the Jewish world misunderstood that, to teach about the kingdom as a spiritual Kingdom and how one must be born again to change themselves. As Christians we understand that there will be day when Jesus will return, or we will leave this earth. if you wish to be born again to change yourself