Lessons from John 3: Studying the Bible
What would you say convinced you to study the Bible?
Was it simply to gain more knowledge? Or maybe because you’re in the middle of a crisis or a desperate situation right now and you are searching for some answers? Or maybe to grow in your knowledge and understanding of who God is, with a desire to know Him deeper and love Him more completely?
I’m not sure how you got started, but I can tell you it was no mistake. God had a reason, just like He had Nicodemus where He wanted him as Jesus began His public ministry.
Jesus had just performed His first miracle of turning the water into wine in Cana. Then He had gone up to Jerusalem in preparation for the Passover celebration. There He found the temple courts had been turned into a market place instead of a place of worship. And in His righteous indignation He cleaned house, so to speak.
This had gained the attention of not only the people but also the Jewish delegation, or ruling council, known as the Sanhedrin. They were sent to find out who this man, Jesus was and on what authority was He acting. And though Jesus had answered their questions and they knew the Old Testament scriptures, they failed to believe who Jesus claimed to be.
They didn’t acknowledge Him as the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world.
Yet there was one man from the Jewish delegation who sought a more up close and personal experience with this man named Jesus.
That man’s name was Nicodemus.
When Nicodemus encountered Jesus Christ, he found answers to his questions, and he learned as we are going to that God gives believers in Jesus a new life.
This new life involves a:
completely new way of thinking – John 3:1-15
new destiny – John 3:16-21
focus and joy – John 3:22-35
Let’s start today’s lesson in John 3:1.
There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. Who was this man Nicodemus?
The first thing we learn about him is that he was a Pharisee. The Pharisees in Jesus’ time were known to be highly religious. They were considered experts at interpreting the law and were also known for being very conservative. They were also thought to be highly ethical men.
In some ways, the greatest glory of the Pharisees’ religion lay in the fact that they applied the law literally. It was the job of the scribes to work out the exact meaning of the law. Then it was the determined purpose of the Pharisees to keep it.
As a Pharisee, Nicodemus would have believed that salvation came from perfect obedience to the law given to Moses by God. And therefore as a Pharisee, Nicodemus represented those who seek the meaning of life in religion but do not find it.
Why? Because religion is a set of rules with no promise of getting you where you are working to go. Religion is man’s way of trying to work their way to God, which is impossible.
There is nothing man can do to work or earn their way to God, no matter what other religions might try to tell you. Religion is rule-based, which weighs us down.
Jesus came that His people might have life, abundant life free of the sins that can so easily weigh us down.
Terri Hamman
Faith & Fitness Coach