Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
Message by: Don Chubb II
Don led us through a new way of reading and reflecting on John 3 (and 4).
John 3:1-2
[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.”
“Ruler of the Jews,” implies that he was a part of the Sanhedrin… someone of a powerful position - most likely a Pharisee.
The Pharisees are interesting in that they believe that they can usher in the Messiah by being Holy.
There are two strings of Jesus in the old testament
Suffering Servant
Messiah King
The Pharisees were expecting a king. But Nicodemus could not deny that no one can do the signs and miracles that Jesus is doing. Nicodemus recognized that Jesus had to be from God…..
John 3:3-8
[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.”
Being “born of water” has been used to reference baptism, but that really does not work here. They would have known that a baby being born involves a water breaking, so this is talking about a birth of the flesh. Knowing this, baptism is not a prerequisite to entering Heaven.
The word for “wind” is “pneuma,” which, in Greek, means: Spirit, wind, breath
πνεῦμα
Definition(s):
a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze
(by analogy or figuratively) a spirit
(humanly) the rational soul
(by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc.
(superhumanly) an angel, demon
(divinely) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit
Origin: pneó (πνέω)
The Old Testament (Hewbew) form of this word is, “ruach,” which means spirit, wind, breath
רוּחַ
Definitions:
wind
by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation
(figuratively) life, anger, unsubstantiality
by extension, a region of the sky
by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being
John 19:38-42
[38] After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus. [39] And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. [40] Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. [41] Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. [42] So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.
Nicodemus participated in the burial of Jesus… spent a LOT of money on it.
When Nicodemus went to Jesus by night, it was because he was inquisitive, but didn't want others to know just then.
The ways of God, the way the Spirit moves, is like trying to predict the wind. You can see the effects of the Spirit, but can't predict how God will move.
John 3:9-13
[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.
This brings in an Old Testament reference. Nicodemus knows the passage from Daniel 7…
Daniel 7:1, 9-14
[1] In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts.
[9] “I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire; [10] A fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, And the books were opened. [11] “I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. [12] As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. [13] “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. [14] Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.
This passage is about the Messiah King.
John 3:14-16
[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.
Everyone remembers verse 16, but 15, 16, and 17 really flow and belong together.
Numbers 21:4-9
[4] Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. [5] And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.” [6] So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died. [7] Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. [8] Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” [9] So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.
Jesus is again using Old Testament references to be able to explain things to Nicodemus. These things will resonate with him because his wheelhouse, as a Pharisee, is Scripture. Jesus is showing that these scriptures point to Him.
God's reason is love.
John 3:17
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
Admitting you're a sinner and you need rescue, is as simple as looking at a snake on a stick.
You can't be the Holy Spirit in someone else's life. We can only worry about ourselves.
God gave His only Son because He loved us so much. It is hard to attain the same level of loving others, but we should work towards it.
This is Memorial Day weekend. Look at how many laid their lives down for us, our Nation, our God.
When John 4 was written, there were no verses to break things out, so you'd read right through the whole story of the woman at the well without breaking out pieces of the story. It was meant to be one, whole story.
John 3 and John 4 are back to back on purpose. John 3 is about a man who thinks he is living right and John 4 is about a woman who thinks she is beyond living right.
An allegory is a symbolic narrative that conveys deeper meanings beyond the literal interpretation. Many movies bring examples of surrendering one's life for another. A few examples are:
Gran Torino
Chronicles of Narnia
Quiet Place
These movies, stories, and many more make the story line more compelling, but pale to Jesus and what he gave for us.
Memorial Day is a day that most closely reflects the sacrifice of Christ. This is a day that we honor those who never grew old, never got to meet their grandchildren - to let us also remember that it is a reflection of God's sacrifice.
Romans 4:1-8
[1] What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? [2] For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. [3] For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” [4] Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. [5] But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, [6] just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: [7] “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; [8] Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”
Do you trust that His sacrifice paid your cost on the cross? This is the opposite of a fear-threat motive. THIS motive comes from a place of thankfulness.
John 3:18-21
[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.”
