# 46 The Calling Card of Jesus

# 46 The Calling Card of Jesus!

Joh 3:13 "No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.

Jesus now moves back to address the original statement of Nicodemus in  verse 2. “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."

For one thing, He clears up the misconception that He is ONLY a Rabbi. (A good teacher)

He uses the term “Son of Man,” to point Nicodemus toward Jesus’ true identity. The “Son of Man was actually the most common title that Jesus used for Himself in Scripture. He refers to Himself as the “Son of Man” a total of 81 times in the gospels!

Daniel referred to the title in  Da 7:13,14, "I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. 14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.”

Nicodemus, a teacher of the Law, would certainly know of this passage in Daniel. He would know the implications of this claim of Jesus. Jesus was saying, “I am the Son of Man that Daniel talked about!”

Further in  Pr 30:4, we have another telling passage in the form of a rhetorical question that used the same phraseology that Jesus used with Nicodemus: “Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is  His name, and what is His Son's name, If you know?”

This conversation with Nicodemus is some of the most intense one on one witnessing recorded in all of Scripture! Jesus, knowing Nicodemus’ familiarity with these passages is really forcing Nicodemus’ hand.

“If you are willing to receive it Nicodemus, I am the One who has ascended to heaven and descended to earth. I am the Son, My name is Jesus. I am the One who has gathered the wind in My fists, the wind blows as I determine. The Holy Spirit is meted out by Me!” And we might add He has chosen to mete out the Spirit through His Word and Sacrament. It is as Peter stated in Ac 2:38, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

# 45 The Wake of the Holy Spirit

Joh 3:8 "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit”

Jesus is seeking to explain the necessity of regeneration of the individual soul to Nicodemus. And He uses one of His favorite techniques in teaching….a parable.

(A parable is an earthly example with a spiritual application.)

So as Nicodemus is puzzling over this necessity of being born again (regenerated) through water baptism Jesus says,  ‘Nicodemus, take the wind for example,” the reality and fact of the wind is beyond question. Our senses tell us of its existence and the direction of its flow, but where does it originate, where does a gust of wind stop?”

Of course, no one can answer that question but God!

The point that Jesus is making is the connection between the fact and reality of the wind, and the fact and reality of the work of the Holy Spirit. We can hear the effect of the wind, we can see it, even feel it, and that’s how it is with the Holy Spirit. We can’t see Him but we can see His effects on the soul.

A tornado leaves obvious evidence as it moves through  the earth, the Holy Spirit leaves evidence in His wake as well. It’s called the “fruit of the Spirit” And it’s spelled out for us in  Ga 5:22,23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

 23 gentleness, self-control.”

We need to be careful here, because we can read this and think that at times the third person of the Trinity runs amuck like a tornado, and randomly saves this soul and that soul, skipping others.

That’s not what the Scriptures teach about the Holy Spirit and regeneration. The Holy Spirit always works regeneration through Word and Sacrament.

As these “means of grace,” come upon men, through the preaching of the Gospel, not all will receive it. Not all will be regenerated.  Grace can be resisted.

The fact that all who are reached by the Spirit are NOT reborn is not due to a lack of saving will on the part of the Holy Spirit, (who desires all men to be saved, 1 Tim 2:4) or to a lack and deficiency in the means the Holy Spirit employs, (Word and Sacrament) but to the wicked and permanent resistance of those who remain unregenerate.

Those who resist the Spirit of grace are like those Stephen spoke to before he was stoned to death. He said in Ac 7:51 "You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.”

Don’t be like those who stoned Stephen. Don’t resist the Holy Spirit, believe His Word, trust His means of grace, and be saved. Leave that trail for others to see that the Holy Spirit has touched you! The trail of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

# 44 What To Do With A Stained Soul

Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 "Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' 8 "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." 9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?" 10 Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 "Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12 "If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

There are two births necessary to enter the kingdom of God. First of all, (obviously) you must exist as a created soul. Your soul has a container, it is called your body or your flesh.  Both body and soul have been with you from the moment you were conceived.

I would propose to you that your soul, my soul, was part and parcel of the soul of Adam, when He was first created and given life by God. Ge 2:7 says, “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

You and I were on the mind of God even back in the Garden, and He has wanted fellowship with us from the very beginning. The soul of man, deposited initially in Adam, is passed along to all human beings.  through the God-blessed act of pro-creation! It’s mind-boggling to consider this, but this fact is why God could say to Jeremiah in  Jer 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."

It’s why we are reminded of God’s purpose for Esther in  Es 4:14 "Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

How wonderful to consider that God has kingdom plans for you and I as well! And they were there from the beginning as Adam and his children passed on the soul of man! When Jesus comes again, this soul passing will be completed, and that’s why men and women will no longer be given in marriage!  Mt 22:30 "For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage,”

But Adam sinned! His soul became tarnished by sin, and that tarnished soul has been handed down to you and I. It’s why David said in  Ps 51:5, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.”

Well, Houston, now we have a problem, because the Bible says this about the soul, "The soul who sins shall die. (Ezek 18:20)

Something has to be done in that soul to remove the stain of original sin. All of the Old Testament Scriptures point to the saving work of Jesus Christ to redeem the souls of men, and much of the Old Testament foreshadows baptism coupled with faith as a means to “restore our souls.” 

The flood is the classic example and even referred to in 1Pe 3:21, “There is also an antitype which now saves us--baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,”

Another example is the crossing through the parted waters of the Red Sea mentioned by Paul in his letter to the Corinthians: “Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, (1 Cor 10:1,2)

Baptism and faith for the salvation of souls is where God has been heading all along, and Jesus reminds Nicodemus gently of this truth when He says to him,  “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?”

Now, the church is armed with this knowledge and we have been given the great commission to carry out the salvation of souls, for the restoration of fellowship with God! Mt 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”

# 43 You Must Be Born Again

Joh 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." 3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." 4 Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" 5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Such a strange conversation. It seems like Jesus doesn’t even give Nicodemus an opportunity to state the reason for his visit. Nicodemus starts the conversation by telling Jesus that “we know You are a teacher from God.”  We aren’t told who the “we” are, we can only assume that Nicodemus is doing a little undercover investigation for some of the other Pharisees, who want to find out more about Jesus.

Jesus cuts him off abruptly by saying, “Most assuredly, ( emphasized truth) unless a person is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  The word “see” here means “know.” You can’t know, you can’t be intimate with the kingdom of God, you can’t be part of it unless you are born again!

Well then, I don’t know about you but I want to be a part of the kingdom of God! I want to know it! I want to experience all that it entails! Nicodemus also wants to know and so he asks, “how?”

I think sometimes we are a little hard on Nicodemus here and make him out to be some sort of Pharisaical dolt. In reality, his question could be rephrased as this: “Born again? What are You talking about? How can that happen?”

Jesus replies, “Most assuredly, (emphasized truth) One enters, (one is allowed entrance) through the gates of the kingdom by water and the Spirit”

The combination of “water and Spirit, ought to turn our thoughts to the Sacrament of baptism. Coupled with God-granted faith, it is a necessary element to entrance into the kingdom. Mr 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”

To be born again is to be regenerated and   Tit 3:5 tells us that this regeneration  is “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,” Again, a referral to baptism!

In this meeting with Nicodemus, Jesus stresses this vital part of the gospel message. Read the Book of Acts and see the inseparable connection between the preaching of the gospel and water baptism.

The disciples knew what Jesus was emphasizing to Nicodemus and they took Him literally at His Word when He commissioned them with these words: Mt 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

The gist of the Greek here is that disciples are made, (students are enrolled) by baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” The church’s responsibility is to enroll souls into the kingdom, and then teach them about kingdom living!

# 42 Let's Act On Truth Rather Than Rumor

# 42 Let’s Act On Truth Rather Than Rumor

Joh 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."

Nicodemus was the only Pharisee who ever came to Jesus one on one. He came at night, likely out of fear of his fellow Pharisees, but this nighttime visit afforded him the opportunity to go one on one with Jesus! It was personal!

We often talk about Jesus as our “personal Lord and Savior,” well, you can’t get much more personal than this!

Nicodemus had heard Jesus teach and observed His miracles. He was intrigued about Jesus and wanted to know more about Him, and unlike many of us, he wanted it straight from the horse’s mouth! I think he left a changed man!

He left more concerned about the truth of God’s Word, than the opinions of man, (most notably his fellow Pharisees) The next time we read of Nicodemus in Scripture is in John 7. The Pharisees had sent officers to arrest Jesus, but they came back empty handed. Their excuse was, “no man ever spoke like this man” (Jn 7:46) The Pharisees answered, “are you also deceived? Have any rulers of the Pharisees believed in Him?” Nicodemus then pipes up with “ I have!” Is that what he said? No! He replies, “Does our law judge a man before it hears Him and knows what He is doing?” In other words,” why don’t you give this guy a chance to speak and tell  us what His motives are. Let’s act on truth, not rumor. Let’s not act on what we THINK. Let’s not condemn on preconceived notions!”

Nicodemus had talked with Jesus. He knew Him personally, and now he challenged the other Pharisees to hear and know Him too! Sounds like a converted soul to me. Notice too, that Nicodemus didn’t confess that he had met secretly with Jesus. (a reminder that fear of man is a constant battle for the believer!) Remember that when fear seeks to silence you. Nicodemus fought through his fears and you can too!

Later, after Jesus had been crucified, Nicodemus was the one who fearlessly came to prepare the body of Jesus for burial. He brought a mixture of myrhh, and aloes, (about 100 pounds) (Jn 19:39)

The 100 pounds is significant because it was the amount used for the burial of a king. In the end, you know for certain that Nicodemus was a believer, acknowledging Jesus as His King!

Friend, come to Jesus…. personally. Hear what He has to say. See what HE is about. Don’t judge Him by what others say. You come! You hear! Believe what HE has to say and it will change you for eternity!

# 41 God Sees the Heart

Joh 2:23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.

Jesus evidently performed more signs while in Jerusalem and because of these signs many believed in His name. But what’s this? Even though many believed in His name He did not commit Himself to them?  What’s that all about? You’d think He’d jump at the opportunity to claim these miracle observers as His followers! We would, right?

“Just say a prayer, just say you believe, and I’ll count you in!”

But Jesus doesn’t commit to us because of our outward appearances…..He looks at our hearts!  1Sa 16:7 says, “But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

And that heart must be devoid of pride. God “resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)

You can be a firsthand witness of God’s authority and power, as these pilgrims were in Jerusalem. You can even acknowledge these signs came from God. You can acknowledge that Jesus is a great teacher, but if your pride is still intact, you are still lord, lord, in your own heart and Jesus won’t commit to you. “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.”

So how does this happen? How does Jesus commit to us? He commits to us through God-granted faith, and “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. (Rom 10:17)

The Holy Spirit works in that word and brings godly sorrow for our sins, smashing our pride to pieces! “For godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation not to be regretted.” (2 Cor 7:10) It is this godly sorrow that caused the publican to pray, “God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you this man went down to his house justified….for everyone who exalts himself will be abased, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:13,14)

It would be tragic to miss Jesus in this life because of our pride! Let the Word of God break you over your sins, and let that same Word bring forth assurance of your salvation as you humbly submit to the lordship of Christ.

Jesus performed miracles when He walked this earth, but that’s not why God sent His Son! He was sent to save people like you and me, who need to come alongside that publican, beating our breast, and crying from the depths of our soul, “Have mercy on me, a sinner.”

# 40 His Disciples Remembered

Joh 2:18 So the Jews answered and said to Him, "What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?" 19 Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." 20 Then the Jews said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?"

 21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body. 22 Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

“His disciples remembered.” Their memory was triggered by the Lord’s resurrection from the dead. What a blessing it is to have any event in life trigger revelations of Scriptural truths! Maybe it’s a needed financial blessing that came your way after you took the leap of faith to tithe, and Mal 3:10 comes to your mind: “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.”

Maybe it’s a restored position, or a relationship, that had been busted up, and  Joel 2:25 comes to your mind: "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten”

Whatever the case may be, it is too marvelous for words! Faith strengthening moments are deeply cherished by the child of God, but they won’t happen if you haven’t first spent some prayerful time in the Word of God!

I find myself wondering, “What scriptures did the Holy Spirit bring to mind for these disciples that were triggered by the bodily resurrection of Jesus? Was it  Job 19:25,26? “For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; 26 And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God,”

Ps 16:10? “For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.”

Isa 26:19? “Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; For your dew is like the dew of herbs, And the earth shall cast out the dead.”

 Ho 13:14? "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes.

Oh how their hearts must’ve leapt when these spiritual truths began to sink in! “I know that my Redeemer lives and I shall live with Him!

Oh blessed Holy Spirit who guided the disciples into all truth, who taught them all things, and brought to remembrance all that Jesus has said to them!

Oh blessed Holy Spirit who guides and teaches the saints today through the Scriptures that He inspired men to write down.

Friend don’t miss out on this blessing! Purpose in your heart to spend time in the Scriptures on a regular basis! Open them up daily and pray that the Holy Spirit will open them up to you, that you, like the disciples, may “hear and believe.”