John 3:7-12 (Jesus said) “You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” 9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. 10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?”
 
DOES Nicodemus’ question, “How can this be?” remind you of two others who asked a similar question? Luke 1:18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” & Luke 1:34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” Similar questions, but not the same. Mary said, “How will?” with expectation. The learned priest Zechariah and Pharisee Nicodemus said, “How can?” with doubt.  
   The Virgin understood what the men did not. We must always be alert to know the Sovereign God works in his ways to do his will. Jesus wanted Nicodemus to use his knowledge as a teacher of Israel to know God’s creative authority. Israel’s Scriptures – our Old Testament – teaches God is sovereign to create, to change laws of nature and the cosmos to his purpose. Nicodemus should be mindful of God’s promise in Eden to save mankind from sin. God formed Israel to be his people of the promise. He then spoke through Israel’s prophets of a Savior to come.
   All of this became reality because God caused it. When Nicodemus asked in John 3:4 “How can a man be born when he is old?” he indicates he has missed the point of salvation from heaven’s Spirit. Mary wondered, “How will God do his will?” not as Nicodemus, “How can God do his will?”
   The Bible tells us the history (his story) of the earth created by and under the authority of a transcendent God. That means he is different than his creation. He has authority far above our human understanding. To believe in such a God is to have faith that in his way and power, we are born again into a new heavenly existence.
   Believe in God’s way and be saved.
 
Prayer: Lord God, I pray your will is done on earth as it is in heaven. For yours is the kingdom and power and glory forever. Amen. 
 

 

John 3:4-6 “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”
 
A more literal translation of “born again” is “born from above”. A learned student of God’s law as Nicodemus should have understood “born again” as God’s restoring work, not as a physical rebirth. Nicodemus’ misunderstanding leads Jesus to open the Scriptures to his new student. The Lord wants to transform Nicodemus’ head knowledge to his heart.
   Thus, Jesus begins with his powerful, attention-getting words, “I tell you the truth.” He is not a prophet saying, “The Lord says.” He is the Lord, saying, “I say.” A true disciple must be ready to hear the truth from Jesus, the Truth.
   Jesus then begins to teach of a true, full image of new life into the kingdom of God. To be born of water and the Spirit refers to a single spiritual rebirth. One view of this is that Jesus is reminding Nicodemus of the Old Testament images of water and the Spirit in unison bringing new life into the land. Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. Jesus is not yet teaching new testament baptism to this Pharisee. He is first reminding Nicodemus of Scripture’s lessons of water and Spirit related to creation and re-creation in God’s sovereign authority.
   To be “born again” is to receive a pouring out from heaven to re-birth your soul into God’s kingdom.
 
Prayer: Holy Father in heaven, you have poured out your Spirit upon us that we would be saved into your kingdom. Your love, indeed, endures forever. Amen.

John 3:1-2 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
 
WE considered in our last lesson that to trust Jesus is to step onto a faith journey. Our journey from that point on is to mature into our relationship with him. Given Jesus’ many spiritual battles and frustrations with the Pharisees, it may surprise us to learn the Holy Spirit was working on the heart of a Pharisee named Nicodemus to begin to trust Jesus. Nicodemus – and others – spoke a trusting confession to Jesus, “We know you are a teacher who has come from God.” Hearts other than the disciples’ are awakening to Jesus’ identity.
   Nicodemus also demonstrates an extraordinary boldness in his first trust steps. Where are the others? The “we” in his declaration must have sent Nicodemus to represent them while they remained in the shadows. Likely, they were afraid of others, maybe even the ruling Sanhedrin, discovering their questions. Nicodemus became their point man. He risked his position. Questions filled his mind. Answers, too, were stirring his heart. He came that night to find hope. Perhaps he even came to find God.
   It is difficult for us to imagine how quickly Jesus burst into the Jewish religious system. All was quiet and normal one day in the Temple courts. The next day brought this radical rabbi who overthrew tables and chased moneychangers with a whip. Then he even claimed he could rebuild the temple in three days! One of two things was happening: Jesus was a self-seeking rabbi attempting to establish his own authority. Or he was a man from God sent to establish God’s kingdom on earth.
   Most of the Pharisees assumed the former. Nicodemus and his friends began to see a glimpse of God in his city. Know they have sought the Lord, who is about to teach them life-changing lessons.
   One way to learn from the Bible is to see how various persons came to Jesus and began to follow him. As John the Baptist is a model, I believe Nicodemus can be another faith model to follow. A vast knowledge of Scripture and of God’s laws filled his mind. He came now for his heart to know, “Who is this?” Our trust journey requires our mind to know God and our heart to ask the questions. Then we go to seek the true answers from Jesus.
 
Prayer: I receive you, Lord, into my heart that I may know a true, loving relationship with you. In your name I pray, Amen.
  

John 2:23-25 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. 25 He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.
 
HAVE you ever asked yourself, “Does Jesus trust me?” Why was it that Jesus would not entrust himself to them – those many people (who) saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name? After all, the Jews seemed to faithfully respond to Jesus’ miracles. They were associating “Jesus” with miracles. To the Jews, one’s name was an important means of identifying one’s purpose, personality and work. This seems good.
   Apparently, though, Jesus rejected their response. They were believing in what he was doing but not in who he is. What’s the difference? Think for a moment. What happens if someone says he likes you for what you do? You may be pleased for the moment. But relationships based on doing the “right” thing will last until you do the “wrong” thing. Someone’s name may be favorable to you one day but not the next. Names become a surface-level identification, not an understanding of a person’s character. This is why Jesus did not trust these new “believers”. They were not looking past the miracles to know who Jesus is.
   Is your faith based on who God is, or is it based on what he does? Yes, we celebrate Jesus’ eternal love act on the cross. But we must understand God did this because of who he is. Love is his character. All his works come from his love. I hope we don’t base our relationship with God on, “He is a miracle worker.” If so, what happens when he says, “No.” to your prayers?
   Yet, how many times have we heard people say to God, “If you do this, I’ll believe in you.” If God responds as they desire, they challenge him to do the next miracle. Casual faith waits for God to keep proving himself.  
   To say then, “I trust Jesus as my Lord and Savior.” we must truly know, “Who is God?” Who is he to you? Is he “Lord of my life” “my personal Lord and Savior”? If you have come to that point, he desires for you to step increasingly onto a faith journey to know the power of Jesus’ name. The further we walk with the name of Jesus on our heart, the more we treasure and keep God’s name holy in our mind and on our lips. What he does for our lives becomes not physical or material gain, but we see his work drawing us into an abiding love for God and for one another. When you are faithful to Jesus’ name for who he is, he will entrust others to you. He will open doors for you to minister and care for his own.
   “Jesus” surely is the name that is above all names. His name has transformed sinners to saints. Speak “Jesus” with the full assurance you speak the name of Savior, Lord, Redeemer, Son of Man, Son of God. Live in Jesus’ power. This is who he is.
 
Prayer: Thank you, God, for the miraculous ways you’ve entered your creation to teach me who you are. I pray you trust me to minister the gospel. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
 

John 1:19-23 Now this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Christ.” 21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” 22 Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”
 
ONCE I read a magazine article regarding five men living now who have declared themselves “Messiah”. Two things disturbed me. First, the author seemed to give credit to their claims. After all, if they said God made them his Messiah, it must be true! Second, the writer said he had read the New Testament in search of truth and found it contradicts itself.
   I don’t think he read the Bible very well, did he? Yes, there are some statements in the Bible that look contradictory at first reading or from our cultural perspective. But if we study and learn the Bible, we will see God is very clear about himself and his orderly process of salvation through his Messiah. Apparently, the article’s writer did not read such definite Scripture as Matthew 24:24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect – if that were possible. My sense is that the magazine’s editors wanted to minimize Christ and mock Christianity.
   This is one reason the gospels record John the Baptist’s testimony. John is very particular to say John the Baptist is not the Prophet (Messiah) as Moses prophesied in Deuteronomy 18:15. Nor is he the physical prophesied return of Elijah, as the Jews interpreted in Malachi 4. Unlike the false Messiahs now and the many even in Jesus’ time, Jesus did not start his ministry one day simply by saying, “I am the Messiah.” Instead, God declared his plan to send a messenger ahead of the Christ through the words of Isaiah the prophet, “Make straight the way for the Lord.” John the Baptist knew his role. He was the messenger spoken in Isaiah, anointed with Elijah’s power spoken in Micah to point to the Messiah: Luke 1:17 “And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah…to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
   John the Baptist had identified himself as the fulfillment of prophecy that pointed to the Messiah. The Jews would have wondered, “Is God’s Messiah about to come?” God’s messenger had done his work. The Jews were sensing God was about to move.
   How do you know the true Messiah? What do you say to people who seek to minimize Jesus? Can you see where God is about to move? Listen to his Word. You will know what to say. You will recognize him when he comes.  
 
Prayer: Lord God, I pray I am a voice speaking to tell who you are into today’s great wilderness. Amen.
 

John 2:12-17 After this Jesus went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days. 13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”
 
IF you read through Luke with us, you may recall that Jesus cleansed the temple on Passover Week, just days before his crucifixion. Here John records the event as Jesus begins his ministry. Is this one of those contradictions skeptics note?
   There is strong literary and historical evidence that Jesus cleansed the temple twice. John’s account is carefully dated, and the accounts have different elements. In John, Jesus comes unknown with his disciples, and his actions cause the disciples to recall Psalms 69:9 for zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me. In the Synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark & Luke are so named because they give a similar account from the same general point of view.) Jesus comes in his triumphal glory as the Messiah. He justifies his actions then by quoting Jeremiah 7:11 Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord. (The prophet Jeremiah, too, twice cursed the temple.)
   As the miracle of water to wine, we can see the temple’s cleansing as a sign of the gospel. Ceremonial washing will become living water. Blood of sacrifice will become wine of celebration. The temple will be our souls cleansed with Christ.
   Then know this: Jesus’ zeal for the temple, then, is his zeal for your soul! He made a whip of cords to cleanse the crime from the temple courts. He will be whipped and nailed to cleanse the sin form our souls. God’s zeal through the gospel has, indeed, accomplished the purification of God’s holy temple. 1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own. Further, God’s zeal for a new heaven and earth will result in the eternal living temple in the Father and Son: Revelation 21:22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 
 
Prayer: Psalms 84:1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! 2 My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. Amen.
 

John 2:1-17 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” 4 “Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” 11 This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
 
JESUS’ first miracle has several images of the gospel’s message of salvation in Jesus Christ.
   First, Jesus, the son of Mary, begins his work as the Son of God. Five times in John, Jesus says, “My time has not yet come.” to affirm his work was in the Father’s will, not his. The gospel is a message of submission to the Father’s will.  
   Second, the wedding ceremony illustrates the good news of our relationship with Christ. As we are saved, we become the church, the bride of Christ. Jesus died to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. (Ephesians 5:26) Marriage illustrates a holy union between himself and all saved into his church universal.
   Third, the gospel is seen in the wedding as a prolonged feast. From the beloved Psalms 23:5-6 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies…my cup overflows. And then to Jesus’ promises the eternal feast Mark 14:25 “I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God.” our eternal life is joyful celebration.
   Fourth, Jesus uses the ceremonial washing vases for the wine. To put anything but water in these would make them impure for the Jewish purification rites. But through the gospel of grace, such practices are now void. Jesus is the Living Water.
   Fifth, Jesus reveals God’s grace of forgiveness. Moses turned water into blood to reveal God’s judgment, Jesus turned water into wine to show us God’s joy! His first miracle is his grace poured out on us. Jesus is the Word who created the world. He turns water into wine each agricultural season. But now he has done so in an instant. Void to beauty, death to life with a word, God’s power has come to earth. The glory of the Lord has been revealed. The disciples, Mary and the world have their first full view of Jesus.
 
Prayer: Thank you, Father for your transforming gospel. Amen.

John 1:47-51 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.” 48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” 49 Then Nathanael declared, Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” 50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that.”  51 He then added, “I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
 
TO understand this conversation, we need to go to Jacob’s dream in
Genesis 28:12 Jacob had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
   When Jesus calls Nathaniel a true Israelite, he refers to Jacob, who was a deceiver. Even so, God had great plans for Jacob. He communicated his plan through this vision of heavenly forces to change his life. Many years later, Jacob returned to that spot of the dream to encounter God. There the Lord renamed him Israel – one who overcomes. The Deceiver became the Overcomer. Israel became the name of the nation that descended from Jacob’s 12 sons. When one said, “I am an Israelite.” he or she could remember, “I am an overcomer. I am chosen by God for a special purpose.” How sad they forget their identity in God.
   To be a true Israelite, then, is to be an overcomer against adversity and true to God’s purpose for your life. Jesus spoke into Nathaniel to essentially tell him, “I have chosen you for a special purpose.”
   When Jesus tells Nathaniel he will “see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”  he prophesies of heavenly things to come to the young man. Jacob saw angels in a dream. Nathaniel will see in the flesh the Son of Man – the Holy One of God – come from heaven and return.
   This young man whom Jesus saw in the Spirit under a tree – his first display to his disciples of divine power – became a disciple who watched the Son of Man minister, die, rise and ascend to heaven. He walked with the Savior who descended, so he could open heaven’s gates to true Israelites – those who would believe Jesus overcame death for their souls.
   What would it mean to be a true Christian in whom there is nothing false? Perhaps it means we would continually recognize we have overcome death in the power of our resurrected Lord.
 
Prayer: Lord God, when I say, “I’m a Christian,” I will faithfully know I live in the power of Jesus’ resurrection. Amen.
 

John 1:43-46 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip.
 
FIVE words here call for you to step into something new. “Follow me.” Jesus said. “Come and see.” invited Philip.
   Imagine! The Lord of Heaven and earth says, “Follow me.” You are amazed, honored, excited and perhaps uncertain. You’ve been seeking something new in your life. But is this what you want? You’ve had some desire to learn more of God, but do you have the time? Possibly, you might feel that following the Lord will be too difficult. What do you think before you take the first step?
   Sometimes the first step may be easy. After all, following Jesus, you are told, is something you can do when you want in any way you want. You can certainly go to that new Bible study at church once or twice. After all, no one asked you to commit. It’s easy.
   Or wait. Did someone ask you to commit? Perhaps Jesus was inviting you through the Holy Spirit to, “Follow me.” That longing to know more of God is God’s Spirit inviting you into something new. He wants you to discover who he is. He’s spoken to your heart to stir your desires toward him. The Lord wants you to know the blessings of his teachings, the life in his words.
   Think about it. The One from Heaven invites you to commit to his leading. He offers the way of grace, hope, forgiveness and love to all who commit to follow him. The Lord wants to lead you into a loving fellowship with him.
   Do you doubt me? Do you wonder, “Can anything good come from God?” Then I use Philip’s words. “Come and see.”  See for yourself how the Lord is good. Don’t rely on what I say. Trust in Jesus’ words to enter a committed effort to know the Lord Jesus Christ. Then see for yourself whom you will discover. What will you lose – a little time? Or perhaps you’ll lose your old thoughts and perceptions. Even better, you could gain something far beyond your imagination. Might you will discover eternal life?
   Commit to, “Come and see.” And you will discover why Jesus says, “Follow me.”  
 
Prayer: I want to follow you, Jesus, into the knowledge of your salvation. In your name I pray, amen.

John 1:40-42 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And Andrew brought Peter to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).
 
DO you think God had prepared Andrew and Peter to be Jesus’ disciples?
   The evidence here suggests the answer is a resounding, “Yes!” Andrew was actively seeking the Messiah. He went to John the Baptist to hear his preaching and teaching. “Was John the One?” he wondered. Andrew then heard and saw John point to Jesus to say, “Look, the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36) In response, Andrew went to Jesus. From Jesus, he witnessed to Peter, “We have found the Messiah.” Peter’s response shows us he was ready to go. Together they returned to Jesus.
   These first disciples’ actions illustrate how God calls us to discipleship. He places in our hearts a desire to seek the Messiah, the Savior. That desire may first come from through the Holy Spirit through parents, a friend, a speaker, an evangelist or even the Holy Spirit directly speaking to us. We hear of Jesus, the Savior, and the Spirit stirs our hearts to say, “I want to find the Messiah.” This is a deep-seated urging to know and be with Jesus.
   We could be blessed to have good Bible teaching around us to help us find Jesus. Or some may not know where to look. They live where there are no churches and Bible teachings. But God stirs them to look. They persist until a missionary or an evangelist speaks of and points to Jesus. The good news could come from a radio broadcast, a pamphlet on the street or a Bible secretly shared by a friend. Often it comes from another disciple who says, “I have found the Savior. Would you like to meet him?” In many ways, the Spirit of God delivers the good news of Jesus Christ to daily make new disciples he has stirred to seek Jesus. One by one, the kingdom of God grows.
   Peter gets a new name. Andrew does not. Do you wonder why? Again, it is evidence of God’s methods. He has chosen Peter for a particular work to be a leader in the early church. Peter will become a pillar of faith and strength who will advance the gospel into the world. Andrew has his role, too. Twice more in John we’ll see him bringing people to Jesus. He’s a disciple who helps people find the Messiah.
   These two are good examples of Jesus’ true church. God anoints people to seek the Savior. The anointed become his disciples. Disciples help others find Jesus to make new disciples. God has given us each a purpose in his kingdom. What is it for you?
 
Prayer: I pray I am a good disciple, Lord, to tell people, “I have found the Savior. Would you like to meet him?” Amen.