The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-01-19
THE SUNDAY scHooL.
Lesson In International series sov
January ~, ltsssi-Ch rist and
Nlcodemua-JOhn 3n-1O.


Nicodemua-John 3n-10.
ARRANGED from Peioubet's selec, Noteal
GOLDEN TExT.-For God so loved tn.
world that He gave His only begotten Son.
that whosoever believeth in Him should no,
perish. but have everlasting ife.-John 3:lS
THE SECTION includes the whole cha p
ter.
TIME.-April. A. d. q. abou, the time OF
weeks after the Cana wedding
PLACE.-Jerusalem, the upper chamber
Of the house where Jesus was the guest.
| EXPOSITION
l. The Inquirer.-Vs. 1.2. /. There
was a man of the Pharisees:" The best
and most religious sect OF the Jews,
holding the most correct opinions
Matt. 23:3) and looking for the Mes.
siah. and, therefore. the best OF them.
like Nicodemus and Paul. were the best
soil for planting the Gospel truths
"a ruler of the Jews" member OF
the Sanhedrim.
2. "Came TO Jesus by night" He
went by night because common pr,l-
dence would lead Him so to do. 1t was
not wise to commit Himself till He
knew more about the new teTcher.
Others might have interfered with His
investigations. Thou art a Teacher
come from God:" And therefore with
message from God which would be
eyes to the blind and light to the
path.
II. The Teacher Presents the Funda
mental Truth of the Kingdom of God
VS.. 3-S 3. Jesus answered" the in.
quirer's needs. the questions OF his
soul Except man (anyone) be born
again" or anew. as in II. ". margin.
from above. Whosoever is born again
is born anew and born from above.
ale cannot see the kingdom of God: "
The declaration is explicit that n new
spiritual life Is necessary. not only to
enter into. but even to form any correct
conception of the kingdom of Cod
4. "Nicodemus saith unto Him." etc.
Why was Nicodemus astonished at the
teaching of Jesus? Such oriental lau-
guage was familiar to him; but (I he
"had been educated SO fully in the be-
lief that the birth into Israel was birth
into the Kingdom of God" president
Dwight that it was strange to hear this
doctrine applied to every person. jew
as well as Gentle. to himself teacher,
as we'll as to others; or (2) he may have
seen the real difficulty of such radical
change in the fulI-grown man as Jesus
called for
7. "Murvcl not:" because of the rea-
son given IN V. $. Natural life is as full
of mysteries as spiritual life. "Ye must
be-" The emphasis is on ye. even
the Jews. even the best and most
learned of the Jews. Must be-" There
is no escape from this law.
s. "The wind bloweth:" The term
for wind in Hebrew and Aramaic. as
well as in Greek, was also the term for
spirit, the immaterial in man being
represented in metaphor by the in.
visible but ife-giving breath. $50 is
everyone that is born of the Spirit"
The Spirits methods we cannot know,
but the facts of the new life are as plain
and certain as that the strong wind
bends the forest trees.
III. The Authority Behind the Teach
er.-Vs. 9-l3. .. How can these things
be?" The mysteries in religion are like
the mysteries in nature. In both cases
the facts are easily comprehended, and
plain enough even for child to use. In
both cases the methods of operation
are mystery.
10. Art thou a master (rather, the
teacher. as in Il. w of Israeli" the
teacher of the Israelites, known and
distinguished by thy learning?-G. W,
Clark And knowest not these
things?" Which are so important that
every teacher should know them, which
are taught in the Scriptures you study
(Ezek. 1919; 1881; 36:26), and are tax
ing place on the earth before your eyes.
12. IF l have told you earthly
things" Things whose proper place
and manifestation are on the earth,
such as the new birth of which He had
spoken in VS.. 3-s. How shall ye be-
lieve, If tell you OF Heavenly
things?" II you cannot trust my word
in matters you can verify. how can y ou
trust my testimony as to things you
cannot verify by your own experienceP
". The Means by Which the New
Life Can BE Obtained.-Vs, IA, IS. IA.
"As Moses lifted up the serpent In the
wilderness:" Jesus now uses an Illus
tration which makes clear some of the
Heavenly things He came to reveal.
Even SO must the Son Of man be lifted
up:" On the cross. The reference here
is to the crucifxion, but beyond that.
to the glorifcation of Christ. The cross
still holds up Jesus before the world.
the best known and most exalted person
in all history. twas not real serpent.
but brazen symbol that was lifted mp.
1t could bite no one. So Christ was
"made sin for u.s." He had not sinned
but by His death sin was slain.
IS. THAT whosover believeth il
HIM" Accepts Him as Teacher, Guide.
and as Lord. Believing is the act of re.
ceiving the new life from God. "Shoult
i