Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1917-02-03

~ "'"Sot'tt btAtN eth IN him. should
3.l6
This most famous interview in his
tory occurred probably in some room
IN Jerusalem where Jesus was a guest.
Il room reached by an outer stairway
so that he could receive visitors pri-
vHtely.
!. The Teacher Of the Jews Wv. /.
-. Nlcodcmus was member of the
sanhedrin och, : :5O). He belonged to
the FhariSeeS 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-
c"uraging He was more apt 10 find
Jesus az home in the evening. He had
much that he wished to learn and
needed n quiet hour, removed from
the crowd. The things that Jesus had
don" 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 10 be taught. lie was an earn
est inquirer.
II. A Teacher From God wv 3-S)
great majority of the disciples of
Jesus came from the common people
q Cor. .2G) yet for all classes he
had the same message. "Ye must be
born again The answer Of Jesus
was according 10 the condition of the
man before him. the deepest need Of
his soul. Literally, ne said. Most as
suredly. except man (anyOne) be
born again (anew or from above) he
cannot enter the kingdom of heaven"
To he born anew means to be born
again. II 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 q Peter % !:
James | IS; John 1879 and the au-
thor Is the Holy Spirit ". :; Titus
800. Water Is q symbol of the word
(Eph. $3.50. Literally translated.
this passage would read Except one
be born of water and wind" And as
wind "hy 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 a teacher of Israel ".
10 II. W and vet ne 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, 1--WE speak that we do know" ".
~. 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 cOntrasted
with the fruits of the Spirit are
brought out in the Epistles, yet. like
NicOdemuS. people are asking today.
How can these things beT" 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-
fifty 10 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 he born implies that ii
is the starting point of new life, that
we must grow as child grows TO be
q man until il reaches 10 "a perfect
man unto the measure of the stature
of the fullneSS of Christ" (Eph. 4 :13).
Many of the best saints cannot tell
when they become Christians. The
proof is 10 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
enhancing of the powers and posSibil-
tiles of that life.
". The Lesson illustrated wv. IA.
Is. 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 10 the promised land became
weary and dIScOuraging, and the Is
raplites complained bitterly Of their
hardships. complaining against God
in the form Of fiery SPrpents. called
fiery from the burning. singing 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 acknOwi-
edged their sin. and prayed for for
givpnesS. Moses made brazen ser
pent, and carried il 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 3 :36).
The moment we really look n Jesus
and believe on him. then we have life