Nick at Night
John 3:1-9
Pastor Jerry Koller

The Pharisees were a very influential group of Jewish leaders.
· This group placed great emphasis on upholding personal piety.
· They would follow all sorts of rules that they believed would lead to righteousness.
· And they expected other Jews to follow them as well.
· They accepted the written word of God as authoritative, but they also made room for the oral traditions of men.
· They believed is a resurrection from the dead and an afterlife that includes reward or punishment based on how one lived.

The Sanhedrin was the Jewish Supreme Court made up of 70 men and the high priest.

He came to Jesus at night… (John 3:2) Why?

The NAS and ESV both say Jesus replied, Truly, truly I say to you.
· This word is also translated Amen.
· It reflects a statement that is of pivotal importance,

There are only two places in the entire Gospel of John where the phrase "kingdom of God" is mentioned: in verse 3 and in verse 5.
· The kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven refer to the same thing.
· The only way one can be born again, or from above, is by the regenerating work of God the Holy Spirit.
· Water and spirit are referring to the same thing.
· It is a reference to the cleansing and renewing work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of those whom God has chosen.

Flesh here is not the same as in John 3:7. Here it refers to a heart that is alive, not non-living like stone.

Likening the work of the Holy Spirit to the wind, Jesus was showing that just as man cannot control the coming or going—or even the source of the wind, so man cannot control or even see how the Spirit moves in one’s heart.

I hear what you are saying Jesus, but I just can’t wrap my mind around it.

Nicodemus is mentioned in two other occasions in his Gospel:
· John 7:51
· John 19:39

Some believe these two passages give support to the idea that at some point, Nick became a secret follow of Jesus.

It is easy to get hung up in various “religious” beliefs.

No matter how clear one may present the good news to someone else, without the washing and renewing of the Holy Spirit, that person will not only be unable to see the kingdom of God with spiritual eyes, he or she will not be able to enter into it on their own.

It is possible to have an affection for the things of God, to have an affection for the people of God, and a recognition that what God has revealed in His word is true, but still fall short as far as calling upon the name of Jesus for salvation.

God still has divine encounters with people all the time.

· Vincent Bryant (son of Miriam Bryant) is recovering from surgery.
· Butch & Gail Sternum (friends of Roberta Newton) - Gail is recovering from hip surgery and fell and broke her ankle. Butch is in need of a liver transplant, but refuses to have one.
· Gloria Groce (Vasha Ferguson’s cousin in Alabama) suffers with PMR (Polymyalgia Rheumatica), an autoimmune, inflammatory rheumatic disease.
· James & Melissa Kirby (nephew of Bruce & Vasha Ferguson) who recently bought a new house and are having plumbing and a/c issues. Please pray that their issues can be easily resolved.
· Caroline Bocock has been terribly ill as she is dealing with a Lyme Disease outbreak. She has begun a treatment regimen that looks promising. Please pray that it is effective and that she will be feeling better soon.
· The Marshall Family: Continue to pray for Nolan who is still struggling.
· Joyce Bocock has completed chemo and radiation; praise God that both tumors have shrunk significantly more than expected; evaluating additional treatment options.
· Check out our monthly prayer card on-line at southhavenfbc.com under “Weekly Bulletins” for a list of those with on-going needs.

First Baptist Church
1635 76th Street
South Haven, MI 49090
269-637-1291
southhavenfbc@gmail.com