Reflections on Scripture with Dr. Leins
| Time Stamp | Transcript |
| 0:05 | hello |
| 0:06 | today |
| 0:07 | let’s talk about Nicodemus |
| 0:10 | we first learn about Nicodemus in the |
| 0:13 | third chapter of the Gospel of John |
| 0:14 | beginning with the first verse |
| 0:18 | now there was a man of the Pharisees |
| 0:20 | named Nicodemus a ruler of the Jews |
| 0:25 | by ruler of the Jews we understand that |
| 0:28 | he’s a member of the Sanhedrin and as a |
| 0:31 | Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin he |
| 0:33 | surely is also a scribe |
| 0:36 | these are three |
| 0:37 | extraordinary qualifications |
| 0:41 | what they tell us is that |
| 0:43 | Nicodemus is a renowned scholar of God’s |
| 0:46 | law and he meticulously observes and |
| 0:49 | keeps the law of God |
| 0:51 | by law of God we should understand not |
| 0:54 | only that he |
| 0:55 | that he subscribes to |
| 0:59 | 613 written Commandments in the Hebrew |
| 1:01 | scriptures but that he has also taken a |
| 1:04 | vow that the 1500 |
| 1:08 | oral laws |
| 1:11 | that are written or that are kept in |
| 1:13 | order to fence or protect the keeping of |
| 1:17 | the written law |
| 1:18 | these oral laws are also his obligation |
| 1:21 | he’s taken a vow to keep them |
| 1:24 | so Nicodemus is |
| 1:26 | a rigorous in terms of the law of God he |
| 1:30 | knows the law in fact he’s been studying |
| 1:32 | it all of his life |
| 1:34 | probably from age four |
| 1:37 | he began memorization of the law of God |
| 1:40 | by 12 years of age Nicodemus surely |
| 1:45 | could recite from memory all of Genesis |
| 1:49 | Exodus Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy |
| 1:53 | in his teenage years he studied and |
| 1:55 | memorized and learned to recite all of |
| 1:58 | the prophets and the Psalms |
| 2:01 | Nicodemus became a rabbi and in time he |
| 2:05 | became a Pharisee |
| 2:08 | in fact that was his title he was |
| 2:11 | addressed Pharisee Nicodemus |
| 2:15 | that was recognized as a title of great |
| 2:18 | respect and honor |
| 2:20 | as a Pharisee and leader of the people |
| 2:23 | Nicodemus fasted twice a week |
| 2:26 | and he recited 18 prayers three times |
| 2:31 | every day |
| 2:33 | he meticulously kept |
| 2:35 | all of the dietary laws and the |
| 2:37 | purification laws of the Hebrew |
| 2:39 | scriptures |
| 2:41 | and because of his knowledge of the law |
| 2:44 | and his Pious keeping of the law |
| 2:48 | Nicodemus was universally respected |
| 2:51 | virtually across all of the Jews |
| 2:54 | and it was recognized that if anyone |
| 2:57 | were going to go to the kingdom of |
| 2:59 | heaven it would surely be Nicodemus |
| 3:01 | because he kept the law of God |
| 3:05 | now because he was of such high status |
| 3:08 | because he was a member of the Sanhedrin |
| 3:12 | Nicodemus knew that he had to be very |
| 3:14 | careful having a personal conversation |
| 3:15 | with Jesus |
| 3:17 | he didn’t want to in some way give the |
| 3:20 | impression that the Sanhedrin was |
| 3:23 | authorizing or endorsing or even |
| 3:25 | certifying the ministry of the young |
| 3:28 | Rabbi Miracle Worker from Nazareth so |
| 3:31 | Nicodemus went to meet Jesus at night to |
| 3:34 | have a personal conversation and we have |
| 3:36 | record of that conversation here in the |
| 3:39 | third chapter of John |
| 3:40 | we don’t know how long it took but there |
| 3:42 | were at least three significant |
| 3:44 | interchanges between Nicodemus and the |
| 3:48 | son of God |
| 3:51 | let’s review those now starting with |
| 3:54 | first |
| 3:55 | that is recorded in chapter 3 verse 2. |
| 4:00 | Nicodemus Begins the first interchange |
| 4:02 | by saying rabbi |
| 4:04 | it’s how he addresses Jesus |
| 4:07 | we know that you have come from God as a |
| 4:09 | teacher for no one can do these signs |
| 4:12 | that you do unless God is with him very |
| 4:15 | nice very cordial introduction we expect |
| 4:18 | that Jesus will respond in like manner |
| 4:20 | but he does not Jesus immediately |
| 4:23 | confronts |
| 4:26 | the Pharisee with a statement about his |
| 4:29 | own spiritual deficiency |
| 4:32 | this is what Jesus says truly truly I |
| 4:35 | say to you unless one is born again he |
| 4:38 | cannot see the kingdom of God |
| 4:42 | well I’m sure that surprised Nicodemus |
| 4:46 | I’m sure it shocked Nicodemus first of |
| 4:48 | all he wasn’t expecting someone to begin |
| 4:51 | to talk about his own spiritual |
| 4:53 | condition and surely wasn’t expecting |
| 4:55 | that the rabbi from Nazareth would |
| 4:57 | abrade him or criticize his spiritual |
| 4:59 | condition |
| 5:00 | uh when it comes to the kingdom of God |
| 5:03 | Nicodemus would think well there’s a |
| 5:05 | line of folk getting ready to go into |
| 5:07 | the kingdom of God and surely it’s a |
| 5:09 | short line and I’m right at the front of |
| 5:11 | it |
| 5:11 | but what Jesus was saying was |
| 5:16 | the line of people going into the |
| 5:17 | kingdom of God you |
| 5:19 | you’re not at the front of the line |
| 5:21 | you’re not in the line you’re not even |
| 5:25 | in the vicinity of the line you’re going |
| 5:27 | in the wrong direction of the line |
| 5:29 | because what’s necessary to to see the |
| 5:32 | kingdom of God |
| 5:33 | you’re missing |
| 5:35 | I’m sure that |
| 5:37 | Nicodemus caught that |
| 5:39 | and was wondering to himself |
| 5:42 | and so he began the second interchange |
| 5:47 | how |
| 5:51 | how can a man be born |
| 5:54 | when he is old |
| 5:55 | you say I enter the kingdom of God |
| 5:57 | through being born again but how can I |
| 6:00 | be born again |
| 6:02 | can a man enter a second time into his |
| 6:04 | mother’s womb and be born can he |
| 6:08 | I don’t think that Nicodemus is being |
| 6:10 | belligerent I think that he’s simply |
| 6:12 | bewildered he doesn’t understand what |
| 6:15 | Jesus is saying it doesn’t compute |
| 6:17 | what are the instructions what are the |
| 6:20 | directions |
| 6:21 | what are the regulations |
| 6:24 | you say that I I have to be born again |
| 6:29 | how exactly am I supposed to get that |
| 6:31 | done |
| 6:32 | what’s the |
| 6:34 | give me the law about that would you |
| 6:36 | please isn’t that isn’t that who |
| 6:39 | Nicodemus is |
| 6:42 | and that’s his his second interchange |
| 6:44 | begins with those words and Jesus |
| 6:46 | responds by saying |
| 6:48 | unless one is born of water and the |
| 6:51 | spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom |
| 6:53 | of God |
| 6:55 | well surely |
| 6:58 | Nicodemus began to think about water and |
| 7:01 | the spirit because that’s how God |
| 7:03 | created the heavens and the Earth in |
| 7:05 | Genesis 1 and if this is a new birth if |
| 7:08 | you’re going to be born again |
| 7:11 | maybe God will use the same kind of |
| 7:13 | process water in the spirit maybe Jesus |
| 7:15 | is somehow referring back to Genesis 1 |
| 7:17 | but maybe forward to a new kind of |
| 7:20 | Genesis of being born spiritually is |
| 7:22 | that what Jesus wants for Me Genesis |
| 7:26 | now a new genesis 1. for me |
| 7:30 | and Jesus goes on to say that |
| 7:32 | was born of flesh is flesh what’s born |
| 7:34 | of spirit is Spirit you must be born |
| 7:37 | again |
| 7:38 | and don’t Marvel at this the wind blows |
| 7:40 | where it wishes well the wind and the |
| 7:44 | spirit are the same word both in Hebrew |
| 7:46 | and in Greek so |
| 7:49 | this is a a play on words for Jesus |
| 7:53 | you’ve been born of flesh but you must |
| 7:55 | be born of Spirit and the wind blows |
| 7:57 | where it Wills |
| 7:59 | everyone who was born of the spirit |
| 8:02 | is born again |
| 8:06 | well |
| 8:09 | Nicodemus is is left wondering again and |
| 8:12 | so we begin the third interchange with |
| 8:14 | the word how |
| 8:15 | how ask the Pharisee how can these |
| 8:19 | things be and Jesus responds well how is |
| 8:22 | it that you |
| 8:23 | a teacher of all of Israel don’t |
| 8:26 | understand these things |
| 8:29 | and then Jesus says |
| 8:33 | no one has ascended into heaven but he |
| 8:36 | who descended from Heaven even the son |
| 8:38 | of man |
| 8:41 | the son of man thinks |
| 8:44 | Nicodemus I know that passage from the |
| 8:47 | book of The Prophet Daniel the seventh |
| 8:49 | chapter |
| 8:50 | I know when the son of man comes from |
| 8:53 | the clouds of heaven and is given |
| 8:55 | dominion and glory and a kingdom and |
| 8:57 | every nation and every people |
| 9:00 | and his Dominion is Everlasting oh |
| 9:03 | oh |
| 9:05 | is Jesus saying he’s the son of man |
| 9:08 | and is he saying his Dominion is |
| 9:09 | Everlasting |
| 9:11 | and about that time Jesus is continuing |
| 9:14 | as Moses lifted up the serpent in the |
| 9:18 | wilderness even so must the son of man |
| 9:21 | be lifted up that whoever believes |
| 9:25 | May in him have eternal life |
| 9:28 | for God so loved the world that he gave |
| 9:30 | his only begotten son that whosoever |
| 9:33 | believes in Him should not perish but |
| 9:36 | have eternal life |
| 9:38 | and now you can bet that though |
| 9:42 | Nicodemus is an old Pharisee he’s a wise |
| 9:46 | one and he’s thinking and he’s thinking |
| 9:51 | I remember how the people of Israel were |
| 9:53 | sinful |
| 9:54 | and they |
| 9:57 | they were punished by God and God sent |
| 9:59 | snakes |
| 10:00 | and some of them were sick and some of |
| 10:02 | them died and Moses prayed for them and |
| 10:05 | God said take a snake and put it up on a |
| 10:07 | pole and everyone who looks at that |
| 10:09 | snake on the pole will be healed and |
| 10:11 | have life and Jesus has just said that |
| 10:13 | he will be lifted up |
| 10:15 | that everyone who believes in him will |
| 10:18 | have life |
| 10:20 | will have eternal life they’ll be healed |
| 10:22 | spiritually |
| 10:24 | and then he said |
| 10:26 | for God so loved the world that he gave |
| 10:27 | his only begotten son is Jesus the son |
| 10:30 | of man also Jesus the son of God and all |
| 10:34 | who believe in him will not perish but |
| 10:36 | have eternal life |
| 10:38 | and now |
| 10:40 | the Pharisee Nicodemus is understanding |
| 10:42 | something of what Jesus is saying |
| 10:45 | for he has heard the message the news of |
| 10:48 | Heaven’s King and now you’ve heard the |
| 10:51 | message of Heaven’s King too |
| 10:54 | that Nicodemus |
| 10:58 | will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven by |
| 11:00 | keeping all 613 laws written and all 1 |
| 11:04 | 500 laws of the oral tradition he cannot |
| 11:09 | you cannot I cannot |
| 11:12 | but Jesus can keep the law perfectly |
| 11:15 | obediently |
| 11:18 | Jesus is |
| 11:19 | the Lamb of God |
| 11:22 | the son of God |
| 11:23 | the son of man |
| 11:25 | who takes |
| 11:27 | your death and takes your sin |
| 11:31 | not just the sin of the world I want to |
| 11:32 | say |
| 11:34 | specifically he takes your sin |
| 11:37 | God |
| 11:39 | gave His only begotten son that all who |
| 11:42 | are born again of water and the spirit |
| 11:45 | have you been baptized |
| 11:46 | water in the spirit |
| 11:49 | and all those who believe in him |
| 11:51 | they should not perish |
| 11:53 | but have eternal life this is the word |
| 11:55 | of the Lord it is the word of God and |
| 11:57 | the promise of God for you |
| 11:59 | so please take it very personally |
| 12:01 | because God means it exactly that way |
| 12:06 | for you |
| 12:08 | for God so loved you |
| 12:11 | that he gave his only begotten son |
| 12:15 | that if you believe in him |
| 12:19 | you shall not perish |
| 12:23 | but shall have |
| 12:26 | eternal life |
| 12:28 | amen |
| 12:34 | thank you |
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