The Old Testament Proof!

Welcome back we are so excited to be able to get into Gods word today. Last time we were looking at the Nicodemus Problem, His problem was still focusing on the physical rather than the spiritual. Today we are going to take a look at how much Jesus was trying to relate to Nicodemus through the Old Testament.

John 3:1–15 KJV 1900

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 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. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 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? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Today we are going to take a look at some of the refrences Christ was making to the Old Testament to better help Nicodemus understand.

Born of water and of the Spirit.

Ezekiel 36:25–26 KJV 1900

Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

The Rebuke of not knowing the scripture.

verses 9-10 Christ could have been reffering to many scriptures that Nicodemus could have and should have studied as a pharisee.

1 Samuel 10:9 KJV 1900

And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.

Jeremiah 31:33 KJV 1900

But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, And write it in their hearts; And will be their God, And they shall be my people.

The idea of the messiah coming to deliver his people with a spiritual birth it was simply just misinterpreted to be physical and not spiritual. Jesus was simply trying to show that the belief in him in Gods way provides the believer with a new heart a new attitude but more importantly a new life. This is not to be taken that just an understanding but an actual belief in these things.

The lifted up serpent is a Image or Type of Christ.

Christ reminds Nicodemus of the story of the serpent that the children of Israel had to look on or perish. He was trying to draw him to something much greater and that was himself. This story in the old testament was simple the people of God spoke out against God and thus were being bitten by fiery serpents.

When they cried out for help. God provided a solution. Moses would raise a brazen serpent and those that looked on it would live those that didnt would perish.

We see God provided us Christ and yet some refuse to accept.

John 3:16–17 KJV 1900

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

We think it is amazing that there would have been some people that would not have looked upon the serpent and yet we as a people are just as guilty. God provided Christ and yet we try and find every reason not to trust him. There must be another way. I can do this on my own. And we have heard of many others.

The Bible is clear that there is only one way and that is through Jesus Christ have you trusted him or you busy looking away from Gods provision because you don’t want to accept His ways are right?

I encourage you in this Christ has always been they way including the Old Testament. While they had to look to the cross we get to look back on the Cross. I would want to encourage you today not to let your ideas influence scripture but let scripture influence your ideas. This means we must take Gods word for what he meant and not for what we would like it to mean.

We will take next week to finish 3:1-21 and encourage you to be with us for that lesson.

I thank you again for joining us and look forward to continuing this study through John with you.