Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1891-07-24
CHRIST AND NICODEMUS.
LESSON ", THIRD QUARTER, INTER
NATIONAL SERIES, JULY 26.

! Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by
permission of H. S. Hoffman, publisher, Phil
adephia.l
l. "There was man of the Parisees
named Nicodemus, ruler of the Jews"
He belonged to 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, %.
2. 1.-THE same came to Jesus by night,
and said unto Him, Rabbi, we know that
thou art teacher come from God, for no
man can do these miracles that thou doest
except God be with him."
See him now in the presence of Jesus,
probably sincere, upright, religious man.
but man without Life q John v, 12).
But he is interested, and he is thoughtful
and inquiring. He has seen some of the
wonders wrought by Jesus, and he is per
suaded that Jesus is no ordinary man.
3. 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' flattering
words He sees the need of his heart and
at once tells him the only way by which it
can be met: he must be born from above
(margin), or anew OR. W. Not religious
ness nor outward reformation, but a new
creation III Cor. V, 10.
f. "Nicodemus saith unto Him, How can
a man be born when he is old? Can he en-
ter the second time into his mothers womb
and be bOrn!"
This reply proves that Nicodemus is only
a natural man; he does not understand
spiritual things, they are foolishness unto
him Il Cor. ii, ~. He has not yet learned
the A. B, c of true religion. There are
multitudes now of religious people, mem
bers of churches, like him.
j. Jesus answered, Verify, verify. | say
unto thee except a 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, Cooked for re-
demption in Israel duke xiii, 81; ii, 3SJ,
md because he was a good religious Jew
thought that of course he must be a child
Of the kingdom: but see Math. viii II. 70
Jesus now repeats what He had said before,
but enlarges by explaining that the new
birth is by water and the Spirit.
G. THAT which is born of the flesh is
flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit
is Spirit"
If n person could be born again in n nat
ural way 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.
Z. 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 it that every soul not born from above
is excluded from the kingdom.
s. The wind bloweth where it listeth
| and thou nearest the sound thereof, but
canst not tell whence it cometh and
whittier it goeth so is every one that is born
, of the Spirit"
. 'He bringeth the wind out of His treas
ures." "He causeth His wind to blow
''The stormy wind fulfills His word Cps
cxXxv, 4 cxlvi, IS; cxlviii s.. The wind is
His messenger, doing His work as pleaseth
Him. and is visible only by its effects. Sc
the Spirit of God works in the soul
g. "Nicodemus answered and said unto
Him, How can these things be?'
He is still "a natural man trying to see
spiritual things; 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 inqurng.
10. Jesus answered and said unto him
Art thou a master (the teacher-R W o.
Israel, and knowest not these things?"
As IA teacher of Israel he should have
known that God regarded the heart more
than the outward appearance.
II. verify, verify, | say unto thee, W,
speak that we do know, and testify tina
we have seen; and we receive not our wit
ness"
In another place He so speaks of His one
ness with the Father, and of the Father,
speaking the words and doing the work,
through Him (John xiv, 10), that conclude
that the 1--WE" here refers to the Fathe
and Himself
IL. "If l have told you earthly things
and ye believe not, how shall We believe i
| tell you heavenly things?"
The very first requisite to believin,
heavenly things is to receive Jesus as tn
Son of God and our personal Saviour.
10. And no man hath assembled up t.
heaven but he that came down iron
heaven, even the Son of Man which is il
heaven"
In chapter i, IS, John spoke of Him a
"in the bosom of the Father" and here II
speaks of Himself as 1.-The Son of Man whicl
is in heaven" Although now seated at tn
Fathers right hand in heaven, yet wher
ever two or three meet in His name He i
in the midst.
IA. and as Moses lifted up the serpen
in the wilderness, even SO must the Son o
Man be lifted up"
Here is another must" and if thi
must" had never become an accomplishe,
fact the new birth had been an impossi
bility.
Is. THAT whatsoever believeth in Him
should not perish, but have eternal life"
Israel murmured at Gods way and God
bread (Num. xxi, 4, g. He then sent ser
pents that bit them, and much people died
Moses prayed, and at Gods comman,
erected brazen serpent upon pole, ant
all who looked upon it lived. The serpen
lifted up on the pole would suggest tina
which had bitten them as dead and harm
less.
l6. For God so loved the world that II
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, il
u serting their own name instead of tn
= words "the world" and whatsoever,
gratefully receive the glorious fact, an
: thus by the Word and Spirit be Dor
again.
q, II ssFor God sapt NOT EJia Son into ri