The Gospel of JOHN “The Gospel of Boldness” Chapter Three: “A Bold Doctrine” Page 22 1

Meeting With Nicodemus  Nicodemus came to Jesus  He is mentioned three times in the Gospels  In this chapter, when He comes to Jesus for information and confirmation of Jesus’ heaven-sent mission among the Jews  In John 7:51, where he seeks to prevent hasty action against Jesus by the chief priests and Pharisees. “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?”  In John 19:38-40, when he brought spices and assisted Joseph of Arimathea in burying Jesus 2 Page 22 John 3:1-12

Meeting With Nicodemus  Nicodemus  A Pharisee [“separated one”]  A ruler of the Jews [Sanhedrin]  A wealthy man  Member of a prominent Jerusalem family  The teacher of Israel (v.10)  He came by night [personal, secret meeting]  He acknowledged that Jesus was a teacher from God  He acknowledged that God was with Him based on the signs Jesus had performed 3 Page 22 John 3:1-2

Meeting With Nicodemus  Jesus answered him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (v.3)  Being “born anew.” What a BOLD DOCTRINE!  Another physical birth is obviously impossible  He and John the Baptizer both had been preaching, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand”  Jesus explained that this second birth was one of “water and the Spirit”  Without this “birth,” one “cannot enter the kingdom of heaven” (v.5) 4 Page 23 John 3:3-5

Meeting With Nicodemus  In verse six, Jesus added, “That which is born of the flesh [man’s first birth] is [the] flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit [man’s second birth] is [the] spirit.”  Again, he added, “You must be born again” (v.7)  Again, what a BOLD DOCTRINE, indeed!  Jesus used the invisible wind as illustrative of man’s need for changing his invisible spirit  Man’s spiritual change occurs within, but that change is manifested to others without 5 Page John 3:6-8

Meeting With Nicodemus  Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” (v.9)  Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 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?” (vs.10-12) 6 Page 24 John 3:9-12

John Comments on the New Birth  It seems that John picks up the narrative here  The new birth and every other spiritual concept of the Lord’s new kingdom rests on the foundation of Christ’s resurrection  “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up” (v.14)  God’s power accounted for both outcomes 7 Page 24 John 3:13-14

John Comments on the New Birth  The “new birth” is identified with “believing in Him”  “Whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” (v.15)  It requires not only mental acceptance of Jesus as the Son but also obedi­ence to His commands (John 3:36--ASV, RSV)  The Spirit leads man into his faith by the evidence of His revelation, and  Water is the element employed by God by which man displays his willingness to obey whatever God demands 8 Page 25 John 3:15

John Comments on the New Birth  The verse that many can quote: “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.” (John 3:16) 9 Page 25 John 3:16

John Comments on the New Birth  “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (v.17)  Jesus’ provision of a “new birth” into a new [eternal] life does not condemn anyone  All condemned sinners are those who choose to persist in their evil deeds rather than accept the forgiveness so freely provided by the Lamb of God 10 Page 25 John 3:17-18

John Comments on the New Birth  What condemns men is not the “light” [Jesus] “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” (v.19)  Why do men love darkness? “For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” (vs. 20,21) 11 Page 25 John 3:19-21

Jesus and John Baptizing in Judea and Aenon  Jesus left Jerusalem and passed into the countryside of Judea with His disciples, where He taught and baptized people  “Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples” (4:2)  John states that these baptisms occurred before John was cast into prison by Herod (v.24)  The synoptic gospels do not cover His work in Judea  John, the Baptizer, continued to call sinners to repentance and to baptize them in preparation for the establishment of the Lord’s new kingdom  He was operating at Aenon near Salim 12 Page 25 John 3:22-24

Jesus and John Baptizing in Judea and Aenon  Jesus’ first recorded teaching in Galilee joined repentance with the coming kingdom (Matt. 4:17)  John’s baptisms also required repentance in preparation for Christ’s kingdom (Matt. 3:1)  These circumstances suggest that both men were engaged in doing the same kind of work in different places 13 Page 25 John 3:22-30

Jesus and John Baptizing in Judea and Aenon  John’s disciples apparently became somewhat jealous of the report brought from Judea that the Lord was making more disciples than John (John 4:1)  They voiced their complaint: “All are coming to Him!”  John answered, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven…”  John knew that he was not the Messiah, only the forerunner of the Messiah (v.28) 14 Page 26 John 3:25-27

Jesus and John Baptizing in Judea and Aenon  John was only the “friend of the bridegroom,” while Jesus was the “bridegroom”  John’s part in God’s plan for the kingdom was fast being fulfilled  John would “decrease” and Christ would “increase” [in influence and disciples] (v.30) 15 Page 26 John 3:25-30

The Apostle Speaks About Jesus and John  Jesus is greater than John  He is from “above,” while men are “of the earth”  Jesus speaks what He has “seen and heard” in heaven  John and other prophets are necessarily limited by their humanity  Jesus possessed the Spirit without “measure”  John performed no miracles (John 10:41) 16 Page 27 John 3:31-36

The Apostle Speaks About Jesus and John  The Father and the Son have a relationship that is closer than any other in the world  “The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand” (V.35)  Believers in Him will have everlasting life  Dis­believers will not see life  They become subject to God’s “abiding” wrath  “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him“ (V.36) (Note that the ASV and RSV both translate verse 36 with “obey” rather than “believe”) 17 Page 27 John 3:35-36

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