Jesus and Nicodemus
Notes
Transcript
Mother’s day - appropriate to study John 3 on this day as we will be looking at God’s love for the world.
God uses mothers to give us a picture of himself a few times in scripture.
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
I will not forget you!
As a mother comforts her child,
so will I comfort you;
and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”
“When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and out of Egypt I called my son.
But the more they were called,
the more they went away from me.
They sacrificed to the Baals
and they burned incense to images.
It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
taking them by the arms;
but they did not realize
it was I who healed them.
I led them with cords of human kindness,
with ties of love.
To them I was like one who lifts
a little child to the cheek,
and I bent down to feed them.
God
Holy
Righteous
Just
Gracious
Merciful
Loving
Man
Unholy
Unrighteous
Ungrateful
Self-centered
Rebellious
Under Wrath
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council.
Nicodemus - wealthy, possibly ben Gurion, who was wealthy, influential, later fell out of favor (because of faith in Jesus?)
Pharisee - took his religion, following God, very seriously
Member of the ruling council, and in John 7 defended Jesus by saying he needed a fair trial, and after Jesus’ crucifixion buried him like the king that he is with a large amount of spices for burial
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.”
Rabbi - called Jesus teacher, he recognized that Jesus had truth that he needed to learn
From God - he recognized the teaching and authority of Jesus, his command of the scriptures and that no one could do the miracles Jesus was doing without the Lord.
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
Jesus cut to the chase. He knows what is in men’s hearts… John 2:25 “He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.”
Nicodemus was doing everything right, but he questioned, “How do I get into the kingdom of God?”
Pharisees tried to please God by doing what was good and right. But...
How good is good enough?
Jesus answered his question before it was asked…
You must be born again!
Jewish proselytes - converts to Judaism—had to undergo three things:
Take on the yoke of the law
Be circumcised
Be ‘born again’ through a ritual baptism in a pool of water (archeologists found baptismal pools on the steps going up to the temple)
But… Nicodemus was already born as a Jew, of the people of God, the chosen nation, the seed of Abraham. How could he be born again into the people of God to get into the kingdom?
“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!”
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 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.”
Being born again is a work of the Spirit of God. We cannot see this happen, we can only see the effects.
Titus 3:5–7 “he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.”
“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 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. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.
Nicodemus was no dummy. But he was thinking of things on the earthly level… thinking of what men do. He was not thinking of the work of God.
So, Jesus related this to an example with which Nicodemus would be familiar. The example of what happened with Israel during their desert wanderings, when they grumbled, and God sent serpents to punish them.
They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”
Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
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.
so… John 3:8 “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.””
so… John 3:14 “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,”
so… “In this same way…”
Just as you cannot see the wind, but see what it does, in this same way you cannot see the Holy Spirit, but see what it does.
Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness for the life of the people, in this same way the Son will be lifted up for eternal life
Just as God still loved those rebellious Israelites and provided, in this same way God loved the whole of the rebellious world and sent his one and only Son!
World - elect?
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.
No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.”
The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil.
But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light.
Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.
I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.
If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:
and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
“I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.
I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.
I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.
I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.
They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.
that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me.
Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
World is not ever used to mean ‘the elect’. The World is this sinful world of people. The ones who stand in rebellion against the Lord. Man as we have seen, who is unholy, unrighteous, ungrateful, self-centered, rebellious, deserving wrath. Who though called by God, wooed by God, but refusing God.
Just as Israel in the wilderness continued to grumble, complain, and rebel against their God, so this whole world is like that.
And still… God loved the world!!
Dwight Moody… Henry Morehouse...
“I used to preach that God was behind the sinner with a double-edged sword ready to hew him down. I have got done with that. I preach now that God is behind him with love, and he is running away from the God of love.’’
William R. Moody, The Life of Dwight L. Moody (New York; Chicago; Toronto: Fleming H. Revell, 1900), 139.
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.
One and only… monogenes… only begotten…
Was Isaac Abraham’s only son? No.
By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son,
He was the unique son, the son born by God’s promise
In the same way… Jesus is God’s unique son, the member of the trinity.
We who believe are all God’s sons according to Romans 8:14 “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children (literally: sons) of God.” and as Jesus said in Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children (literally: sons) of God.”
But Jesus is the unique son… the eternal Son, the second member of the trinity was with with God in the beginning, who is the alpha and omega, without beginning and without end. Who is everything that God is, who is the great ‘I am’!
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.
Whoever believes… not whoever earns… not whoever is good enough… not whoever walks the aisle… not whoever raises their hand… not the one who has enough faith… not the one who does wonderful things for the Lord…
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.
Shall not perish… not destruction, but loss, not fit for its intended purpose, or not able to function as it was intended.
Jesus said, Matthew 25:46 ““Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.””
Paul, through the Spirit said, 2 Thessalonians 1:9 “They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might”
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.
Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
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.
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.
God
Holy
Righteous
Just
Gracious
Merciful
Loving
Man
Unholy
Unrighteous
Ungrateful
Self-centered
Rebellious
Under Wrath
Hope
God lovingly provided a Savior
Jesus died for our sins
Jesus rose again to give us new life!
Whoever receives Jesus’ Salvation through Repentance and Faith will have a new birth—eternal life
1 John 4:8–10 “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
