The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-01-26
JESUS AND
NlCODEMUS
Prepared by the !" Highway and
Byway" Preacher.
Copyright, 1901. BY ), M. Edson.,
Sunday School Lesson for Jan. ~. 1905

verses IA and 15. Read John 2.12-3:21.
GOLDEN TExT.-"God SO loved the
world, that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in Him should
not perish, but have everlasting life." John
3:16
T1ME.-Some time dufing the feast Of the
passover, which Jesus left Galilee to at
tend John 2:13. Perhaps two months after
events Of last lesson.
PLACE.-Jerusalem Probably In the up
per room, reached by outside stairway, In
the house where Jesus was guest.
A REMINDER.-Repea John 20:3i. As
we begin the study Of this lesson let us ask
ourselves the question: How will 1t help
us to believe that Jesus is the Christ the
Son of God2 and how will II help us to con-
vince others Of this all important truth2
The Lesson Outline.
THEME New Birth.
1.-The Fact Of the New Birth, vs.. 1-3.
~ Nicodemus' Quest, VS.. /, 2.
(2) Jesus Solemn Declaration. " g.
1.-THE Nature Of the New Birth VS.. 4-14.
% Misunderstood by Nicodemus, v. g.
(2) Explained by Jesus. VS.. 5-14.
(a) New Birth through the Spirit. v. 8.
te) New Birth Spiritual not feshly. v. g.
(c) New Birth not unreasonable. VT.
(d) New Birth invisible. v. 8.
(e) New Birth known absolutely by
20 New SIs Birth Al an earthly experience.
v. L.
90 New Birth made possible by Jesus
Christ, VS.. I3, IA.
III,-The Recipient Of New Birth. v. ID.
D Believers In Christ.
(a) Escape Death.
(bJ Obtain Eternal Life.
Comparing Scripture with Scripture.
|. The Fact of the New Birth. %
Nicodemus' Quest, VS.. l, 2.-Nicodemus
came seeking he knew not what, and
was brought face to face with one Of
the most profound truths OF Scripture.
He recognized Jesus as teacher sent
from God, yet doubted His personal
message to him. He admitted the
miracles Of Jesus, yet was stranger to
the greater miracle Of the new birth.
Whatever may have been the attitude
of Nicodemus towards Jesus that night,
certain It is that he became later secret
believer In Him. See John 7:5O-bl and
1899.
(2) Jesus Solemn Declaration, v. g.
This passage is specially significant In
that Il Is the first recorded discourse Of
Jesus and was delivered to Nicodemus
who was a ruler of the Jews and a
member of the Sanhedrin. Nicodemus'
high position as religious teacher
among the Jews and his zeal and devo-
ton to Gods law and the Jews religion,
did not assure him Of place in the King
dom of God He must be born again"
or from above (marginal reading), as
must every one who enters the Kingdom
n-t. So, 80 . hirth q
sential to salvation needs emphasis in
this day of liberalism and apostasy. The
new birth is necessary because Of cor
rupt human nature, VS. and Rom. S:7, 8.
II. The Nature of the New Birth. U
Misunderstood by Nicodemus, v. 4.-The
natural mind cannot understand the
things of God. l Cor. 2:14. Jesus was
amazed at Nicodemus' blindness Of
heart, " 10; Mark s:1S; Eph. 4.1S.
(2) Explained by Jesus. (a) New
Birth Through the Spirit, V. 5.-"Born
of water and of the Spirit" implying a
thorough spiritual publication by the
operation OF the Holy Spirit, water be-
ing symbolic of CLEANSING In all the
Jewish ceremonies. Comp. Titus 3:5.
(b) New Birth Is Spiritual, V. G.
Just as flesh begets flesh so the Spirit
begets spiritual. 1t is spiritual resurrec-
ton. Eph. 2:1, 8. A new creation, 2
Cor. 517; Gal. 6:15; Eph. 2:1O.
(c) New Birth Not Unreasonable, "
7.-If physical birth Is necessary to
share in physical life, then why should
1t be thought strange that there must be
Spiritual birth to experience spiritual
life? The birth Of the babe marks It's
advent into the world, The birth of a
soul under the power of the Spirit marks
the advent of soul into the Kingdom
of God. Marvel not" therefore, "ye
must be born again."
Cd New Birth Invisible and Unob-
servable, v. S.-The Spirit and the indi-.
vidual soul are the only ones that know
of the sacred process. Curious eyes may
not lift the curtain which God has drawc
over this natal spot of the soul.
(e) New Birth Known Absolutely by
Jesus, v. 11.-Luke 2:4O, so. A personal
testimony of actual experience is
stronger evidence than the most learned
and weighty theory or opinion.
(f) New Birth an Earthly Experience,
v. 12.-It marks the beginning Of spirit
ual sight. If the initial truth Of the
Christian life seems SO Incompetent
sible, how could the deeper mysteries Of
the Kingdom Of God be received?
(g) New Birth Made Possible by
Jesus Christ, VS.. 13, 14.-Here is SUBJ
lime picture. Read the story In Mum.
2l:4-9. A type Of which Christ was the
fulfllment. Jesus sacrifice for sin was
to give life. 1t made the New Birth pos
sible. Those who are born from above
are begotten Of God. John 81.
Ill. The Recipient Of the New Birth,
" 15.-Jesus declared the fact Of the
New Birth. He then showed Its nature,
and its necessity, and now because He
was the Lamb of God which taketh away
the sin of the world, He makes the New
Birth dependent upon faith in Him.
The Golden Text.
For God SO loved the world that He
gave his only begotten Son, that who
soever believeth in Him should not per-
ish, but have everlasting fe."-This
verse Is Unreasonable, inexhaustible,
all-satisfying. 1t reaches from God In
the highest" to the depths where sin
has cast the world. The vast ocean of
God'a love rolls there, bearing on its
bosom the fair gift, His only begotten
Son. Everlasting life is there to deliver
from Deaths power. Faith, like a
jewel, flashes forth revealing Christ on
the cross for sin. And in its midst IA