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In The Footsteps Of The Master: The Life and Times of Jesus Christ

In The Footsteps Of The Master: The Life and Times of Jesus Christ. Jesus and Nicodemus December 7, 2008. www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info. Pharisaic Background. Read John 3:1-2 Nicodemus was part of the ruling counsel of Jews (never more than 6,000 of them)

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In The Footsteps Of The Master: The Life and Times of Jesus Christ

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  1. In The Footsteps Of The Master:The Life and Times of Jesus Christ Jesus and Nicodemus December 7, 2008 www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  2. Pharisaic Background • Read John 3:1-2 • Nicodemus was part of the ruling counsel of Jews (never more than 6,000 of them) • They set policy for Jews throughout the world • They took a covenant to follow the 10 Commandments to the letter…… • Pharisees took the non-specific laws and severely expanded the meaning www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  3. Pharisee continued • Two examples…. • When a Pharisee spit, he couldn’t spit on dirt. Why? • Spitting on dirt would form mud and they used it for mortar. • Better spit on a rock to be safe • To be a Pharisee you’d have the Pentateuch memorized (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  4. Hypocrisy 101 • Keep in Mind… • Pharisees are causing and will cause all kinds of problems for Jesus, challenging His teachings, calling Him out in front of everyone— • Nicodemus sneaks out in the middle of the night as a liaison for the Pharisees and says, • “We know that You are from God, for how can a man do what You do and not be from Him? How can we be born again?” • Hypocrisy here?  www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  5. Born Again • Read John 3:3 • On the surface it doesn’t seem too unnerving • Jesus says “It’s not about doing, it’s about being born again” • Nicodemus is an unbelievably disciplined, smart man who is doing all he knows to pursue right standing with God www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  6. Nicodemus’ Response • Read John 3:4 • Nicodemus thinks Jesus is saying that he should of lived his life better • Nicodemus thinks by his actions he has standing with God • Temple every Saturday (check), fasting (check), read the Torah (check), not spitting on dirt (check)…. Great • Jesus says – “a man will have to be born again” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  7. Impossibility • Nicodemus feels the impossibility of being born again • Jesus using symbolism (like last week) • Mindset of Nicodemus, which is do this, do this, do this, do this, do this… • The problem is not our lack of knowledge - but rather, who we are • Ephesians 2:3 says by our nature under God’s wrath www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  8. Water and Spirit • Read John 3:5-8 • Flesh begets flesh • They feel the wind on their skin. And Jesus says – “it’s like that” • We need the Spirit of God to blow through us • So that when we’re born again, when the Spirit gives new life, creates a new heart, then all of a sudden what we want is the Spiritual www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  9. What Do You Mean? • Read John 3:9-10 • “Are you the teacher of Israel, and don’t understand?” • How can this be? You’ve got it memorized • Joel 2:28-29 ..pouring out of the Spirit on all flesh with the resultant gift of prophecy. • Ezekiel 36:25-29 …God sprinkling Israel with clean water and putting a new spirit within them. www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  10. The Disciples’ Response • Jesus is going to explain how we can find ourselves in right standing before God • Read John 3:11-13 • Step 1 – The Incarnation – God in the flesh • Read verse 14 - What’s that a reference to? • Step 2 - The wrath-absorbing cross www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  11. The Good News • John 3:16-17 • I’m going to die, and in my brutal death, I will absorb the wrath of God towards those who will believe • Step 3 – whoever believes in HIM • You and I are justified before God, born again by no action of our own but submission to the Holy Spirit’s calling and power in our lives • Read Galatians 5:19-23 • These things or fruits are beyond you • Can you just make yourself patient, gentle, faithful www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  12. Light and Darkness • 18“ He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. •  19“ This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. • 20“ For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. • 21“ But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.“ 2 Cor 2:14-17 www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  13. What Does This MeanFor Me? The Point in the Class Where One of Us Attempts to Draw Some Powerful Application from the Text

  14. Opening Question • Why did Nicodemus come to see Jesus? • What was his motive? • Was he sent to spy on Jesus? • Was this the first attempt to back Jesus into a corner? • I picture Nicodemus as a somewhat timid seeker • Comes under cover of darkness, so as to avoid having to explain his actions to the Sanhedrin • Important to understand the context www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  15. The Kingdom of God • Nicodemus (Verse 2): “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”  • Jesus’ Response (Verse 3):“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” • Nicodemus saw the signs Jesus performed and was intrigued, but unsure • However, Jesus told him that he couldn’t see the Kingdom without rebirth www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  16. What is the Kingdom? • What does Jesus mean by being able to see the Kingdom of God? • Do we see Jesus as a worker of powerful miracles? • Or do we see Him as our Ambassador into the Kingdom? • What is the difference between the two? • Jesus is far more than a simple miracle worker • He is Lord, Son of Man, Messiah, Alpha and Omega, the Lamb of God … and Savior www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  17. The Love of God • John 3:16-21 • “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” • How many times have you read that statement? What does it mean to you? • Have you really considered what the cost was to God? • He didn’t just say that He loves us, He gave His only Son over to the demons of hell to prove it • The love of God is costly, but free! www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  18. Judgment • John 3:17-18 • “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” • How do you interpret this statement? • Jesus didn’t come to judge … He came to save • Judgment is something we do to ourselves www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  19. Light vs. Darkness • John 3:19-21 • “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.” • What is the application here? • The choice between Light and darkness is ours and ours alone www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  20. Next Week • The Parallel Ministries of Jesus and John the Baptist Questions? www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

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