BORN OF THE SPIRIT

John 3:1–2 NKJV

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.”

THIS MAN NICODEMUS HE WAS NOT JUST A COMMON MAN AMOUNGST THE PEOPLE BUT AS WE WILL SEE LATER IN THIS PASSAGE HE WAS THE RELIGIOUS LEADER OF ALL OF ISREAL. OF EVEN THE SANHEDRIN

The Literal translation for the Sanhedrin is the sitting down with

So picture a semicircular building comprised of Sadducee scribes and pharasses gathered together in a chamber like the chamber of the house of representatives this gives you a idea of how the Sanhedrin worked and looked like thought the Sadducee scribes and pharisees had differt understandings of the law of the torah they came together to impose their religious elite status upon the people.

The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary Sanhedrin

SANHEDRIN. The sanhedrin in Jerusalem, as it appears in the gospels, Josephus, and rabbinic literature, has been understood alternately as the high priests’ political council, the highest legislative body in Jewish Palestine, the supreme judicial court, the grand jury for important cases, the council of the Pharisaic school, and the final court of appeals in deciding halakic questions. Even the number of assemblies properly called “the sanhedrin” has been debated.

remember THE SANHEDRIN WAS WHERE PAUL WAS BROUGHT TO TO BE JUDGED FOR THE PREACHING OF cHRIST AND hIM CRUCIFIED WHERE PAUL WAS THEN LASHED AND BEATEN FOR HIS DEVOTION TO OUR LORD.

MORE IMPORTANTLY IT WAS THE SANHEDREN WHO TRIED CHRIST AND HANDED HIM OVER TO PONTIS PILITE TO BE CRUCIFIED.

sO NICODEMOUS THE LEADER OF THE SANHEdrin This was a humble act to seek out Christ but also an human act as he sought him out under the cover of darkness that he would not be seen amoungst his peers.

Even so It would seem that God has placed a measure of faith upon nicodimus that He might belive in the Son of God

Lets continue with our text

John 3:3–10 NKJV

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, 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, “Most assuredly, 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 the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?

Man must be Born again.

Born of the Spirit no longer of the flesh for we are all born wicked sinners and enimies of God

This is why when asked about homosexuality and they cmment to me but look In was born this way i tell them yes and this is why jesus says you must be born again. You see we are all born sinners some hypocytes some liers some abusers some drunkards, some adulterers, some addicts, some thiefs some murders some even homosexuals but this is the totall depravity of man caused by the great fall through that of adam and as the bible has said none of us are any good some just have a sin that they are more inclined towards than others ,

This is why Jesus said we must be born again and of the Spirit not of the flesh for the flesh has been tainted with the fall of mankind

Look to what He says next the wind goes where wants to you hear it but do not know where it comes from or where its going so is the one who is born of the Spirit.

To be spirit led means that you may not know where God is taking you you may not see the plan but you have faith in His purpose so you go in which he takes you

You have heard the expression free spirited that has been attributed to the hippi movement but I say to you that like so many other things was highjacked by the devil for we who are born of the Spirit are just that free spirited to go where he takes us without argument without regret but instead in obedience and in Faith

John 3:11–13 NKJV

Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.

here christ makes a extra ordinary claim to the leader of the Sanhedrin his Claim here is He is God.

John 3:14–20 NKJV

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “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. 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. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.

So what happened to Nicodemus?

In John 7, some Pharisees and priests (presumably with authority to do so) sent some of the temple guard to arrest Jesus, but they return, unable to bring themselves to do it (see John 7:32–47). The guards are upbraided by the Pharisees in authority, but Nicodemus presents the opinion that Jesus should not be dismissed or condemned until they have heard from Him personally: “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” (John 7:51). However, the rest of the Council rudely dismisses Nicodemus’s suggestion out of hand—they appear to have already made up their minds about Jesus.

The final mention of Nicodemus in the Bible is in John 19 after Jesus’ crucifixion. We find Nicodemus assisting Joseph of Arimathea in Jesus’ burial. Joseph is described in John as a rich man and in Mark 15:43 as a member of the Council. He is also described in John 19:38 as a disciple of Jesus, albeit a secret one because he was afraid of the Jews. Joseph asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Nicodemus brought 75 pounds of spices for use in preparing the body for burial and then assisted Joseph in wrapping the body and placing it in the tomb. The sheer amount of burial spices would seem to indicate that Nicodemus was a rich man and that he had great respect for Jesus.

The Story of Nicodemus is a two fold story one it is a reminder no matter how religious one is they dont know all the answers and cannot find God on their own its only by God that reveals himself to the hearts of men. Second that the progression of faith can look quite different from person to person. Earlier i spoke about Paul and his judgement by the Sanhedrin, If we look to pauls conversion it was swift as Jesus himself blinded Paul with the light of Christ to change him from Saul the persecutor to Paul the apostle of Christ. Then we look to Nicodemus which doesn't seem to be as drastic as sudden but we see a man that over time grew to believe whim jesus said he was. this should be a reminder that not all of us will be changed like paul some will grow slowly like Nicodemus and likewise we must be willing to have grace to allow them to grow in which the pace that God has had grace.

So today ask yourself am i like Nicodemus or like paul am I looking for the answers of life in the right places that is in Jesus in his word or from people friends family facebook google ect.

I tell you as jesus told Him one cannot inherit the Kingdom of God unless they are born again not of flesh but of the Spirit

Have you been born of the spirit, are you free spirited ? Are you in full submission to Christ like the wind going where he may call you ? where are you today?