1. The Life Of Christ Lesson Four – The Beginning Of Christ’s Ministry
Jesus’ First Disciples – John 1:35-51
Jesus’ First Miracle – John 2:1-11
Jesus Cleanses the Temple – John 2:13-25
Jesus and Nicodemus – John 3:1-21
John’s Second Testimony – John 3:22-36

2. Jesus Cleanses The Temple John 2:13-25
John states Jesus’ disciples also “remembered that He said this” after His resurrection.
Luke 24:6-8; “And they believed the scripture …”
John 20:9; Luke 24:26-27; (Psalms 16:10)
Luke 24:6-9 - He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, 7 saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again." 8 And they remembered His words, 9 and returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.
John 20: For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 So the disciples went away again to their own homes.
Luke 24: And He said to them, "O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 "Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?" 27 And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.

3. Jesus Cleanses The Temple John 2:13-25
The result of the cleansing of the Temple and the “signs” Jesus performed:
“Many believed in His name”
Not all could be trusted – feigned allegiance.
Jesus did not put His confidence in the accolades of men … as the Pharisees did.
Jesus knows … John 6:61-64
John 6:61-65
But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, "Does this cause you to stumble? 62 "What then if you should behold the Son of Man ascending where He was before? 63 "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 64 "But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. 6

4. Jesus and Nicodemus John 3:1-21
Who is Nicodemus?
A “Ruler of the Jews” – those who delivered Jesus to be crucified. Luke 23:13ff; 24:19-20
A Pharisee of the Sanhedrin Council.
What initially entitled Nicodemus to be a Jew, a ruler of the Jews, and a member of the Sanhedrin?

5. Jesus and Nicodemus John 3:1-21
Nicodemus referenced 2 other times in John:
John 7:45-52 – meeting of the Sanhedrin (cf. John 11:47-53). “Our law does not judge a man unless it first hears from him …”
John 19:38-39 – Burial of Jesus – came with Joseph of Arimathea to provide Jesus a burial fit for a king.

6. Jesus and Nicodemus John 3:1-21
What did he do?
“Came to Jesus by night.” Is the time significant?
Could it be because he didn’t want to be seen by others? A “secret” disciple? John 12:42-43; 7:13; 9:22; 19:38
There was peer pressure for the rulers not to “believe in Him” (John 7:48).