The Master Teacher Teaching A Master Teacher (Sermon On Nicodemus)

Let me first ask the wives this question….

• If you were asked who is the WORST PERSON YOU HAVE EVER COME INTO CONTACT with…. who would you name? (Wives do not look at your husband…that is a dead giveaway!)

Let me ask the husbands this question….

• If you were asked who is the most fascinating person you ever met, WHO WOULD YOU SAY? (Fellows this is a good time to look at your wife and smile!)

Let me ask the congregation this question…

• If you were asked who is the best preacher you ever heard preach God’s Word was, WHO WOULD YOU SAY? (Do not start scratching your head and looking like you do not know. That is also a dead giveaway!)

Jesus met some fascinating people. If you were to ask the Lord who is the MOST FASCINATING PERSON, HE EVER MET was, He might say that it was a man by the name of Nicodemus

Who is Nicodemus?

• Nicodemus was one of the most powerful and influential men in all of Israel during this time period

• Nicodemus was a wealthy, powerful, religious man

• Jesus refers to Nicodemus as a “Master of Israel” which means he was a MASTER TEACHER

• Nicodemus was an educated man, but despite his learning, there were some things this man did not know

One night, this rich, powerful, educated man found himself alone in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ asking some very important questions.

One of the reasons that educated people are intelligent is because they ask questions.

It pays to ask questions!

• It shows you want to learn

• It also may give you the answer to something you do not know

Sometime somethings we do not know can be very costly.

Illus: The Chevy Nova was a relatively successful American car for many years.

Encouraged by U.S. sales, Chevrolet began to market the Nova throughout the world.

• Unfortunately, the Nova did not sell well in Mexico and other Latin American countries.

• Additional ads were ordered, and marketing efforts were stepped up. The sales remained stagnant. Sales directors were baffled. The car had sold well in the American market; why wasn’t it selling now?

• When they discovered the answer, it was rather embarrassing. They did not inquire as to what Nova meant in Spanish. Nova means “no go” (James Emery White, Rethinking the Church, Baker, 1998, p. 38.)

So, the Latin people were not buying a car that would NOT GO!

If the Chevrolet people just asked what NOVA meant in Spanish, it would have saved them some money.

It pays to ask questions! You can learn a lot by asking questions!

Nicodemus had some problems with this phrase of being, “Born Again!”

He did not understand the term, "BORN AGAIN."

The MASTER TEACHER was going to teach the MASTER TEACHER what it meant to be born again!!!

Let’s listen in as the MASTER TEACHER TEACHES THE MASTER TEACHER about the subject of spiritual birth.

We see -

I. HE MUST BE BORN AGAIN

We read about this in John 3:1-7 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.

Jesus said, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

This statement shows the necessity of being Born Again because there is not going to be any blind people in heaven.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE, “BORN AGAIN"?

One of the reasons I feel led to preach on being Born Again is because many like Nicodemus do not know what it means to be born again.

Some think because:

• They do good works they will go to heaven.

• They have join the church they will go to heaven

• They have been baptized they will go to heaven.

But a person can do all these things and much more and still not be born again.