The Elbert County tribune., 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
n room reached by an outer stairway
SO that he could receive visitors pri-
vately.
!. The Teacher of the Jews wv. i,
2). Nicodemus was a member of the
sanhedrin (Ch. 7 500. He belonged to
the Pharisees who We're 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 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.
II. A Teacher From God wv. 3-S).
A great majority of the disciples of
Jesus came from the common people
Q 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 lanew or from above) he
cannot enter the kingdom of heaven"
TO be born anew means to be born
again. 1t 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 Il Peter l :23;
James rs; John 5:3) and the au-
thor is the Holy Spirit ". 5; Titus
3:3). Water is symbol of the word
(Eph. :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,
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 a teacher of Israel ".
10 r. w and yet he did not know so
fundamental a truth as the new birth,
though the Old Testament taught it.
III. The Pupils Difficulty wv 9-13).
The works of the flesh us 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 un-
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 it
is the starting point of a new life, that
n man until 1t reaches to "a perfect
man unto the measure of the stature
of the fullness of Christ" (Eph. :13).
~. The Lesson illustrated wv. II,
15, 1S). Jesus believed In objective
teaching, and he here refers to
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 stinging sensa-
tion caused by their bite. So intense
was the venom of the bites that they
became fatal in few hours. This
punishment made the people realize
the awful evil of sin. They acknowl-
edged their sin, and prayed for for
giveness. Moses made brazen SER
pent, and carried 1t through the camp
so that all 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
eternal life; doubt and perish MARK
1916: John 8 :36).
v. Gods Greatest Gift ". 16). This
is 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"
mighty scope-"God so loved the
world" a mighty sacri1ce-"God so
loved the world that he gave his only