Jesus and Nicodemus
John 3:1-15
Introduction
- The gospel of John screams of the faith that we should have in Christ
-- It is the clearest example of living life FOR the one who redeemed you and I
- If we can learn to love others like Jesus’ … we can bring them TO Him
-- Re: We won’t bring a friend to something we do not like
-- John demonstrates and challenges us to love people like Christ did
- Today, we will begin probably one of the most famous chapters in John
-- We are going to take a look at a critical conversation that happens here
-- Sadly, many misquote, mistake, or misuse this chapter often in their lives
-- What we also see here is how to witness when presented the opportunity
- Read John 3:1-15 / Pray
∆ Point 1 – Nicodemus comes to Jesus
- Nicodemus has come to talk to Jesus one evening while they had stopped
-- There is really no clear reason to explain why this happened at night (v2)
-- But, there is something very obvious about this encounter
-- APP: Nicodemus has sought out Jesus because of what was happening
- His reference to Jesus as “rabbi” or teacher, placed him in a subordinate role
-- Even as a Pharisee, he is now asking to be taught in a learner position
-- IMP: If a Pharisee can subject himself to Jesus, so can you and me!
- Nicodemus would’ve had money, and power, and influence
-- Yet, this conversation shows us that there is something missing from his life
-- He seeks Jesus ought to see if He might have what is missing
- Nicodemus admits no one could perform signs if they were not from God
-- His knowledge of God here is purely head knowledge, but he wants more
-- His demonstration of what is going on really is just surface intelligence
- Says, “You are a teacher …” indicates (again) his submission to Jesus
-- IMP: Again, what a wonderful position for you and I to assume today
-- APP: But even a Pharisee a ruler, can be wrong in his intellectual position
- The reason I can say this is that Jesus instantly turns the conversation (v3)
1) He does not feed into the compliment that was just paid
2) He cuts straight to the heart of what Nicodemus is really thinking
- Have you ever tried to get to a spiritual discussion in a round-about way?
-- What Jesus just did is cut through the him-hawing around and state the truth
- This leads Nicodemus into a question and answer session with Christ
-- This was not for Jesus’s benefit, but for Nicodemus (and ours)
-- APP: If you ever wanted to know how to witness to others, here it is
∆ Point 2 – Jesus Challenges Nicodemus
- Nicodemus’s first statement is met by the bottom-line truth
-- Unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God
-- Notice: The transparency of Jesus here is just amazing
-- There is no beating around the subject … its pure truth revealed
- This leads to honest question: If I’m old, how do I get born again (v4)?
-- While this could be a sarcastic response (should I enter mother’s womb)
-- His question is actually quite legit, and really reveals his thinking
-- APP: Nicodemus is 100% engaged in the physical, not spiritual
-- His understanding of how biology works is great, but not salvation
- So, Jesus lays out for him the process of being born again (v5)
-- In v3 we saw the source of new birth; now we have the process discussed
- Some may argue that the “water” gives reference to the mother’s womb
-- Others may say it is the immersion/sprinkling in water for repentance
-- My understanding is this tying it to Titus 3:5, “… 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 …”
- The Holy Spirit does the work; and we submit to that leading in baptism
-- The following verses in John give us what I feel ties it together (v6-7)
- Flesh gives birth to flesh (mother to child); leaves us incomplete
-- But the Spirit births the things of the Spirit (God to man); completes us
- RE: OT makes no reference to a Spiritual re-birth; focus on acts/sacrifice
-- But remember, JTB has already given us that we are in a new time
-- John 1:26-27, “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
-- I’m doing this as a symbol … but the one after me will complete you
- Then in v8 Jesus gives Nicodemus a wonderful analogy to take hold of
-- We can’t see the breeze or control it, but there it is at any rate blowing around
-- The Spirit works in the same manner; it is free to move from place to place
-- Only God knows where it came from and goes; it’s not for our understanding
- It is a dependency on God which we must have in order to live
-- Just like we may depend on a cool breeze to come along in August …
-- We don’t get to dictate when that breeze will blow or for how long
-- Jesus takes Nicodemus’s theology to work, and ours as well (control issues)
- What this verse does for us is help us grasp the spiritual things of God
-- It shows us to NOT depend on the physical things we can see/touch
-- IMP: Being made new comes from the Spirit; which we have NO control over
- TRANS: So, Nicodemus asks the logical question: “How …?” (v9)
-- Let’s be honest, he is the guy in the crowd we ought to be thankful for
-- He is the one willing to ask when no one else wants to raise a hand
∆ Point 3 – Jesus’s Authority is Displayed
- However, Jesus’s answer is probably not what Nicodemus wanted to hear
-- First, there is a bit of a challenge in Nicodemus’s position to contend with
-- (v10) “you are Israel’s teacher, yet you don’t know these things?”
- Surely He would have had knowledge about the concept of new birth …
-- Jeremiah 31:31-33, ““The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
-- APP: As a teacher, Nicodemus surely should’ve known this … right?
- Jesus continues (v11), this testimony has been told before and still you deny it
-- Even as a teacher you should know this (have taught it) but don’t understand?
- So … if I speak of Earthly things and you don’t believe (v12) …
-- Challenge: How in the world will you ever believe the spiritual things?
- Pay attention: Jesus’s authority is on full display … (don’t miss this)
-- Re: He was there at the beginning (so He can speak to earth and the wind)
-- Re: He is also coming again (so He can teach on regeneration of the creation)
-- Yet … Nicodemus (a teacher) has no idea of these things
- Challenge: Do we really understand the things we say we know about God?
-- It’s a definite dip-stick check for us to make sure we know what we know
- He continues (v13) … No one but the Son of Man has ever been to Heaven
-- Re: Heaven is where God resides, and no one has been there yet
-- Ref (on the cross): Today you will be with in Paradise (not Heaven)
-- Only the one who came from Heaven has been there and can speak on this
-- John 14:6 is a strong supporter of this concept (it is EXCLUSIVE): “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
- And now, Jesus gives Nicodemus one more lesson in remembrance (v14)
-- Re: The lifting of the serpent was to cure a snake bite (Numbers 21:9)
-- It provided a way to be delivered from the poison and death of their sin
-- IMP: Jesus Himself would one day be lifted up (on a cross) to cure our sin
- Everyone who looked upon the golden snake was cured and healed
-- And those who come to Christ would also be cured and healed of their sin
-- Re: All the people had to do was LOOK at the snake and be healed
-- Jesus too would be lifted up, and all we needed to do was look to Him
- TRANS: If would believe, we then would receive an eternal life (v15)
-- What a tremendous challenge to leave us with tonight …
∆ Big Idea
- So, what should we take away from this tonight?
1) First, we see Jesus cutting to the chase and engaging Nicodemus honestly
2) Second, we see lesson after lesson that points only to what God has done
3) Third, when presented with a challenge, Jesus directs back to the truth
- So how do we witness? By presenting the things of God honestly!
-- We need to know what we know, and be willing to show that to others!
-- If we won’t, then who will … and if we don’t, what can it cost them?
- Challenge: Invite someone to church on Sunday … John 3:16 covered
- Pray
