A MAN NAMED NICODEMUS
Wednesday – October 17, 2018, Cheshvan 8, 5779
Greetings and welcome back to this wonderful faith building study from the Book of John. I will be moving forward today into the third chapter and a wonderful conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. Let’s take a look at the primary Bible text reading it aloud.
John 3:1-4 (KJV)
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
We find out that Nicodemus is a Pharisee meaning he is a ruler in the Church, an authority figure, and likely a member of the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin would be like a Board of Directors in a Church. This is the group of people led by the High Priest and the power of Rome who would eventually crucify Jesus. He has heard about Jesus and I suspect due to fear of his peers comes to Jesus by night. It appears that he is convinced that what Jesus is doing is of God. As is frequently the case, Jesus does not mess with the small talk but goes to the heart of the issue. Nicodemus is talking about Jesus being a teacher sent of God and doing miracles as the hand of God and Jesus starts talking about being born again. Jesus message in one way or another always has to do with entry to the Kingdom of God or our function in the Kingdom of God. Let me remind us all that before we are born again (saved) we are dead spiritually and cannot see (understand) spiritual things and therefore have no understanding (concepts) of the Kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 2:12-14 (KJV)
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
We find two different terms in Scripture both referring to the same thing and that is the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God. Kingdom of Heaven is only found in the gospel of Matthew and is referring to the same entity as Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is in Heaven and in earth and is that space within which Heaven operates and Christians in the earth are to operate. Unfortunately, many if not most Christians are trying to live with one foot in the Kingdom of God (basically on Sunday) and the other in the world systems. This mixture is disaster for the Christian, and never allows or brings one into the fulness of God. It was that admixture that brought the curse into the earth on the Day of Sin and Death in the Garden of Eden and the curse brought death of all sorts, spiritual and physical. Unfortunately, when many make Jesus the Lord of their lives and enter the Kingdom of God, they are born again, but they don’t press into the things of God. Therefore they only see glimpses of the Kingdom that God has freely given unto us.
Luke 12:32 (KJV)
32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
The Kingdom of God is a spiritual entity, it cannot be touched or detected with our five physical senses nor any natural instrument of man. As we read above it is spiritually discerned. Now, in the Garden of Eden before sin Adam could see clearly in the spiritual world and the physical for he had a pure spirit, soul, and uncorrupted (immortal) body. Sin eliminated our spiritual eyesight except by special dispensation of God. We now operate in the spiritual realm by faith in the Word of God. Faith in the Word of God is not just believing the Word of God. We must cast down any unbelief, speak the Word, take the desired result by faith, and then take any necessary corresponding actions. All of this is done in the name of Jesus activating the Anointing to achieve the will of God according to the Word of God. As we close for today let’s see a little more about the Kingdom of God before we move back to the wonderful reality of being born again.
Luke 17:21 (KJV)
21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
Jesus is telling us right here that the Kingdom of God is a spiritual place. So, what are the components of the Kingdom of God?
Romans 14:17 (KJV)
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
This Kingdom of God is not physical but spiritual and the three legs are righteousness, peace, and joy and all of that is in the Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit) and the Holy Spirit must be within us meaning we are born again. I suspect that you have noticed that two components of the Kingdom are fruits of the spirit, our spirit, which is of God, so could it be that righteousness is a combination of the other seven fruits? Lord willing tomorrow I will pick up with the idea of being born again and the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus.
Until our next publication, as a Bible Teacher and Prophetic Voice I speak this blessing over each and every one of you, receive it by faith in Jesus name!
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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