Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-07-26


stesrns.
Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by
permission OF Il. 5. Hoffman, publisher Phil,
sdelphia.l
l. There was man OF the parisees
named Nicodemus, a ruler OF the Jews"
He belonged 20 the most religious sect
among the Jews, and we may hope that
he was an exception TO the description
given by the Saviour in Math, xiii, 5, 2S
The same came 10 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 he with HIM"
See him now in the presence Of Jesus,
probably a sincere, upright, religious man,
but man without Life Il John V, l2).
But he is interested and he is thoughtful
and inQuiring. He has seen some of the
wonders wrought by Jesus, and he is per
susded that Jesus is no ordinary man.
s Jesus answered, and said unto him,
Verify, verify, say unto thee, except
man be born again, he cannot see the king.
dom Of God"
Regardless Of Nicodemus' fiattering
words He sees the need of his heart, and
at once tells him the only way by which it
.
(margin), or anew (R W Not religious
ness nor outward reformation, but a new
creation III Cor. " 10.
4 "Nicodemus saith unto Him, How can
a man be born when he is oldS Can he en-
ter the second time into his mothers womb
and be born"
This reply proves that Nicodemus is only
natural man; he does not understand
spiritual things they are foolishness unto
] him Il Cor. ii, 40. lie has not yet learned
the A, b, c of true religion. There are
multitudes now Of religious people, mem
/ bers Of churches, like him.
3. Jesus answered, Verify, verify, | say
unto thee, except man be born of water
and OF the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
Kingdom of God"
1t is probable that Nicodemus, like Jo-
seph Of Arimathea, was one of those who
waited for the kingdom of God, or, in
other words, like Anna, looked for re-
demption in Israeli duke xiii, 81; ii, So,
and because he was a good religious Jew
J thought that Of course he must be a child
of the kingdoms; but see Math. viii, II, 10
Jesus now repeats what lie had said before,
/ but ehlarges by explaining that the new
| birth is by water and the Spirit
9. That which is born of the flesh Is
/ flesh, and that which is born Of the Spirit
| is Spirit"
II person could DO born again in a nat
ural way "A dozen times he would be no
nearer the kingdom, for ever since Adam
sinned all, without exception, are born in
sin, and are by nature children of wrath.
4 Marvel not that said unto thee, Ye
must be born again"
When God says must" there can be no
other way. He has therefore forever set
tied II that every soul not born from above
is excluded from the kingdom.
s. THE wind bloweth where it lsteth
and thou nearest the sound thereof, but
canst not tell whence it cometh and
whittier 1t goeth; so is every one that is born
/ of the Spirit"
He bringeth the wind out Of His treas
uries" "He causeth His wind to blow.
/ 'The stormy wind fulfills His word" Ops.
cxxxv, Z; cxlvii, Is; cxlviii, 81. The wind is
His messenger, doing His work as pleaseth
Him, and is visible only by its effects So
the Spirit of God works in the soul.
"Nicodemus answered and said unto
| Him, How can these things beY"
He is still natural man trying to see
spiritual things; a blind man wondering
what the light is like; an earthly man puz-
zled over heavenly things; an intellectual,
religious man lacking the one thing need
full; but thank God he is inquiring.
] 10. Jesus answered and said unto him.
Art thou master (the teacher-R W of
Israel, and knowest not these thinesY"
As a teacher of Israel he should have
known that God regarded the heart more
than the outward appearance.
II. Verify, verify, say unto thee. We
speak that we do know, and testify that
we have seen; and ye receive not our wit
/ ness"
In another place He so speaks OF His one
ness with the Father, and of the Fathers
| speaking the words and doing the works
through Him John xiv, 100, that conclude
| that the I'VE" here refers TO the Father
and Himself.
! IL. IF | have told you earthly things,
I and We believe not, how shall We believe il
| tell YOU heavenly things"
The very first requisite TO believing
/ heavenly things is TO receive Jesus as the
| Son of God and our personal Saviour.
10. And no man hath assembled up to
heaven but he that came down from
heaven, even the Son of Man which is in
heaven"
! In chapter /, is, John spoke of Him as
'in the bosom Of the Father" and here III g
! speaks Of Himself as "the Son Of Man which
is in heaven" Although now seated at the
| Fathers right hand in heaven, yet wher-
ever two or three meet in His name He Is
/ in the midst
a. And as Moses lifted up the serpent
/ in the wilderness, even so must the Son of
Man be lifted up"
/ Here is another must" and IL this
must" had never become an accomplished
! fact the new birth had been an impossi-
bility
/ Is. THAT whosoever believeth in Him.
should not perish, but have eternal life"
! Israel murmhred Mt Gods way and Gods
bread Mum. xxi, 1, 81. He then sent ser
| penis that bit them, and much people died.
I Moses prayed, and at Gods command
erected a brazen serpent upon pole, and
all who looked upon IL lived. The serpent
/ lifted up on the pole would suggest that
which had bitten them as dead and harm
/ less.
/ 16 For God so loved the world that He
gave His only begotten Son, that whose
ever believeth in Him should not perish,
but have everlasting life"
! Let every one write out this verse, in
serting their own name instead Of the
words "the world" and whatsoever"
| gratefully receive the glorious fact and
/ thus by .he Word and Spirit be born
| sgain.
H. For God sent not His Son into the
I world to condemn the world, but that the
] world through III m, ,,is,ht ~. ..val