Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-02-02


not perish, but have everlasting life.-John
3:16
This most famous interview in his
tory occurred probably in some room
in Jerusalem where Jesus was a guest,
a room reached by an outer stairway
so that he could receive visitors pri-
vately.
|. The Teacher of the Jews wv. 1,
y. NicOdemus was a member of the
sanhedrin (Ch. :50). He belonged to
the Pharisees who were much devoted
to the scriptures, and in whose hand
the political affairs were largely
placed by the Romans. There are sew
eral reasons why Nicodemus came to
Jesus by night. Prudence dictated Sc
crecy, but that he came at all was en-
cOuraging. He was more apt to find
Jesus at home in the evening. He had
much that he wished to learn, and
needed a quiet hour, removed from
the crowd. The things that Jesus had
done and taught made Nicodemus
think that Jesus might be the Mes.
siah. Nicodemus wanted to know
how to be blessed or happy. He was
willing to be taught. He was an earn.
est inquirer.
III. A Teacher From God wv. 3-S).
A great majority of the disciples of
Jesus came from the common people
Il Cor. 1 :26) yet for all classes he
had the same message, Eye must be
born again." The answer of Jesus
was according to the condition of the
man before him, the deepest need of
his soul. Literally, he said, "Most as
suredly, except a man (anyone) be
born again (anew or from above) he
cannot enter the kingdom of heaven"
To be born anew means to be born
again. It matters not what your par
entage may have been. If any man
could do without new birth, NicO-
demuS was that man. He was moral,
religious and sincere The instrument
through which this birth is effective
is the word of God Il Peter 1 :23
James 1 rs; John 49, ~ and the au-
thor is the Holy Spirit ". 5; Titus
3:5). Water is a symbol of the word
| (Eph. 5:26). Literally translated,
this passage would read, Except one
be born of water and wind" And as
wind "by universal consent refers to
one factor in regeneration, the Spirit,
so the water manifestly refers to the
other element of regeneration, the
word" The main contention is that
the word is the instrument in the re-
generation. Although not expressly
mentioned here, it is elsewhere.
Nicodemus was teacher of Israel ".
10 R. W and vet he did not know so
fundamental a truth as the new birth,
though the Old Testament taught it.
There is no speculation or guess work
about Jesus own teaching. He could
say, eve speak that we do know" ".
1D. He had been in heaven, and in
speaking Of heaven he spoke of the
things which he, himself, had seen.
III. The Pupils Difficulty wv. 9-13)
The works of the flesh as contrasted
with the fruits of the Spirit are
brought out in the Epistles, yet, like
Nicodemds, people are asking today
"How can these things be?" Jesus
"Art thou a teacher of Israel and un
derstandest not these things?" What
Jesus said to Nicodemus wv. lib
: is true of the scriptures now, especial
ly of the New Testament. They tes
: tify to the facts which Jesus knew
and revealed, he having been IL
heaven, and come down from HEAVIER
&1o Of A1,A
known. To be born implies that i
is the starting point of new life, tina
we must grow as q child grows to b.
a man until it reaches to "a perfec
man unto the measure of the Statur
of the fullness of Christi (Eph. :13)
Many of the best saints cannot tel
g when they become Christians. TIL
proof is to be observed in the result
of their lives. We cannot put ou
fingers upon one day and say. "Sprin
has come" but the spring does come
The religious life must have
f growth, that is an unfolding and a
n enhancing of the powers and possibil
). tiles of that life.
C w. The Lesson illustrated wv. L
Y 10, 1S). Jesus believed in objectiv
teaching, and he here refers to
memorable event in the early histor
h of the Jews as illustrating his teacf
II ing. The journey through the wilder
s ness to the promised land becam
l. weary and discouraging, and the I:
g raelites complained bitterly of thei
e hardships, complaining against Go
l. and against Moses. Punishment cam
If in the form of fiery serpents, calle
" fiery from the burning, stinging sens;
ton caused by their bite. So intens
IS was the venom of the bites that the
C. became fatal in q few hours. Th
punishment made the people realiz
the awful evil of sin. They acknow
| edged their sin, and prayed for fo
giveness. Moses made a brazen Sc
pent, and carried it through the can
so that all could see. and looking b
came an act of faith, implying repen
ance and return to obedience and
| God. Thus our salvation is literall
| "Iook and live;" believe and hay
eternal life: doubt and perish (NIal
GIG; .Fohn 3 :36).
The moment we really look to Jes1
and believe on him, then we have Ii
B coursing in our veins; spiritual Ii
taking the place of death. and we a
born again (John 1:12-13).
The whole secret is in these thr
words Look and live" believe ~
have eternal life; doubt and peril
mark 16 10; John 3 :36).
God sent his Son into the world
- save it, not to condemn it ". 10, b
- whosoever will not receive Jesus
condemned already (Heb. 10 :2S-29).
V. Gods Greatest Gift ". 16). TT
- Is probably the most familiar yer
es- known to the Christian world, al
il has led more souls to salvation tn.
lc- any other in the Bible. In it is /
ne vealed the mighty God-"For God =
il mighty motive-"God so loved" :"
as mighty scope-"God so loved t
E,o r,,orI5 ~ n MIGHTY co cTifoa UNo5