Mexico Missouri message., 1917-02-01
INTERNATIONAL
SUNINSOIOOL
LESSON
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY a.
JESUS THE SAVIOR OF THE
WORLD.
(By ID. o. SELLERS, Acting Director of
the Sunday School Course In the Moody
Bible Institute of Chicago)
Copyright, 1917, Western Newspaper Union)
LESSON TEXT-John 3:1-1S.

that whosoever believeth in him, should
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 q guest,
a room reached by an outer stairway
so that he could receive visitors pri-
vately.
I. The Teacher Of the Jews wv. 1,
%. Nicodemus was member of the
sanhedrin och. z 500. He belonged to
the Pharlsees 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. Nlcodemus wanted to know
how to be blessed or happy.
II. 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, aye 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 a 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 II Peter 1 :23;
James 1:18; John 1879 and the au-
thor is the Holy Spirit ". 5; Titus
1859. Water is 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 yet he did not know so
fundamental truth as the new birth,
though the Old Testament taught it.
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
Nicodemus, people are asking today,
"How can these things be?" Jesus
challenges Nicodemus with the words,
"Art thou teacher of Israel and I'M
derstandest not these things% What
Jesus said to Nicodemus wv. 11-13)
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 in
heaven, and come down from heaven
for the purpose of making them
known. To be born implies that 1t
is the starting point of new life, that
we must grow as a child grows to be
a man until 1t reaches to ga perfect
man unto the measure of the stature
of the fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4 :13).
w. The Lesson illustrated wv. IA,
IS, 49,. Jesus believed in objective
teaching, and he here refers to q
memorable event in, the early history
of the Jews as illustrating his teach
ing. The journey through the wilder
ness to. the promised land became
weary and discouraging, and the Is
raelites complained bitterly of their
hardships, complaining against God
and against Moses. Punishment came
in the form Of fiery serpents, called
fiery from the burning, singing sensa-
ton caused by their bite. So intense
was the venom OF the bites that they
became fatal in a few hours. This
punishment made the people realize
the awful evil Of sin. They acSnowl-
edged their sin, and prayed for for
gfveness. Moses made a brazen SER
pent, and carried it through the camp
so that oil could see, and looking be-
came an act of faith, implying repent
ance and return to obedience and to
God. Thus our salvation is literally,
'Look and live;" believe and have
eteSnal life; doubt and perish (Mark
1915; John $3.50.
v. Gods Greatest Gift w. 49,. This
v probably the most familiar verse
known to the Christian world, and
has led more souls to salvation than
any other in the Bible. In it is re-
vealed the mighty God-"For God :" a
mighty motive-"God so loved;" q
mighty scope-"God so loved the
world" mighty sacrifice-"God so
loved the world that he gave his only