The Green Forest tribune., 1917-02-02
]. INTERNATIONAL. SUNlASC[IO0L
 LESSON By E. O. SELLERS, Acting Director of the Sunday School Course in the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago.) Copyright 1917, Western Newspaper Union.) )
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY 4
JESUS THE SAVIOR OF THE
 WORLD.
LESSON TExT-John a.1-1s.

GOLDEN IEAI-FOr 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
 This most famous interview in his
 tory occurred probably in some room In Jerusalem where Jesus was guest, room reached by an outer stairway
 so that he could receive visitors pri- vately.
 ]. The Teacher of the Jews (vv. l, p. Nicodemus was a member of the sanhedrin (Ch. z :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 sev- eral reasons why Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. Prudence dictated se- crecy, but that he came at all was en- 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. He was willing to be taught. He was an earn est inquirer.
 II. A Teacher From God (vv. 3-8). A great majority of the disciples of Jesus came from the common people
 q Cor. :26) yet for all classes he had the same message, "Ye 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 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 sincers The instrument through which this birth is effective is the word of God q Peter :23; James 1 IS; John 15 :3) and the au- thor is the Holy Spirit (v. 5; Titus 3 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. NicoGemus was teacher of Israel (v. 10 R. VI and yet 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, "We speak that we do know (v. 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 (vv 9-13). The works of the flesh as entrusted 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 a teacher of Israel and un- derstandest not these things?" What Jesus said to Nicodemus (vv 11-13) is true of the scriptures now, especial ly of the New Testament They tes- tify to the facts which Jesus knew heaven, and come down from heaven for the purpose of making them known. To be born implies that 1t is the starting point of a new life, that we must grow as a child grows to be a man until it reaches to "a perfect of the fullness of Christ" (Eph. :13). Many of the best saints cannot tell when they become Christians. The proof is to be observed in the results of their lives. We cannot put our fingers upon one day and say, Spring has come" but the spring does come. The religious life must have a growth. that is an unfolding and an enhancing of the powers and possibil- ities of that life.
 NV. The Lesson Illustrated (vv. IA, 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 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 a 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 16 :16; John :36).
 The moment we really look to Jesus and believe on him, then we have life coursing in our veins; spiritual life taking the place of death, and we are born again (John 1:12-13).
 The whole secret is in these three words 1.ook and live .n hnlieve md