Podcasts about Nicodemus

Abide in His Love: Gospel of John, Part IIIn John's Gospel, we encounter seekers like Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman—people who came to Jesus with doubts, curiosity, and honest questions. This week, we'll explore John 4-6 and what it means to bring our questions to Christ and how He meets us with truth, patience, and love.Join us next Tuesday at 1pm ET on ⁠YouTube⁠ for Part III!

Nicodemus was the last person you'd expect to follow Jesus. A leader of Israel, a teacher of the scriptures, a Supreme Court Justice—yet he needed to be born again. Three years after meeting Jesus at night, Nicodemus stepped into the light, ready to honor the Messiah. In this episode of Wisdom for the Heart, Stephen Davey unpacks Nicodemus' journey from religion to redemption. He wasn't the first surprising convert, and he won't be the last. From John Newton to Rosaria Butterfield, people continue to find that Jesus changes everything. Maybe you're wrestling with faith. What's stopping you from trusting in Jesus? Stephen Davey's newest book, The Disciples Prayer, is available now. https://www.wisdomonline.org/store/view/the-disciples-prayer-hardback

Nicodemus was the last person you'd expect to follow Jesus. A leader of Israel, a teacher of the scriptures, a Supreme Court Justice—yet he needed to be born again. Three years after meeting Jesus at night, Nicodemus stepped into the light, ready to honor the Messiah. In this episode of Wisdom for the Heart, Stephen Davey unpacks Nicodemus' journey from religion to redemption. He wasn't the first surprising convert, and he won't be the last. From John Newton to Rosaria Butterfield, people continue to find that Jesus changes everything. Maybe you're wrestling with faith. What's stopping you from trusting in Jesus? Stephen Davey's newest book, The Disciples Prayer, is available now. https://www.wisdomonline.org/store/view/the-disciples-prayer-hardback

Abide in His Love: Gospel of John, Part IIIn John's Gospel, we encounter seekers like Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman—people who came to Jesus with doubts, curiosity, and honest questions. This week, we'll explore John 4-6 and what it means to bring our questions to Christ and how He meets us with truth, patience, and love.Join us next Tuesday at 1pm ET on YouTube for Part III!

John 3:13-17Jesus said to Nicodemus:"No one has gone up to heavenexcept the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,so must the Son of Man be lifted up,so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,so that everyone who believes in him might not perishbut might have eternal life.For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,but that the world might be saved through him.

John 3:13-17Jesus said to Nicodemus:"No one has gone up to heavenexcept the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,so must the Son of Man be lifted up,so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,so that everyone who believes in him might not perishbut might have eternal life.For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,but that the world might be saved through him.

It's quiz day at the kitchen table. We're pausing on our Practical Theology series to test our theological knowledge! In this episode, Pastor Jeff puts Tiffany (and you) on the spot with 14 questions plus a bonus round. From creeds and confessions to soteriology and salvation, we review some of the core truths of the Christian faith.In this episode[00:02:27] Q1: Which Gospel begins with Jesus' genealogy back to Abraham?  A: Matthew[00:04:00] Q2: The belief in one God in three persons is called what?  A: The Trinity[00:05:00] Q3: Which creed begins with “I believe in God, the Father Almighty”?  A: The Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed[00:06:27] Q4: Who wrote Confessions?  A: Augustine of Hippo[00:07:39] Q5: Salvation is primarily deliverance from what?  A: Sin[00:08:09] Q6: What does the term “atonement” mean?  A: Reconciliation between God and man[00:08:58] Q7: Which verse begins “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith”?  A: Ephesians 2:8–9[00:10:13] Q8: What does soteriology study?  A: The doctrine of salvation[00:11:00] Q9: The doctrine that Jesus is fully God and fully man is called what?  A: The Hypostatic Union[00:11:40] Q10: The Westminster Confession of Faith is most associated with which tradition?  A: Reformed/Presbyterian[00:12:48] Q11: What does Sola Fide mean?  A: Faith alone[00:14:00] Q12: Which term best describes God's unmerited favor?  A: Grace[00:14:43] Q13: Who wrote the book of Revelation? Where was he exiled?  A: John, exiled on Patmos[00:15:42] Q14: Which Jewish ruler visited Jesus at night?  A: Nicodemus[00:17:35] Bonus Question: What new denomination formed out of the United Methodist Church?  A: The Global Methodist ChurchGiveawayIf you scored 100%, email pastorjeff@lowcountrycc.org with the subject line I'm a winner! Include your name and address, and we'll send you a Kitchen Table Theology coffee mug (plus maybe a Southern Pecan K-Cup).We love your feedback! If you enjoyed this episode, leave us a review. If you have any questions or comments on today's episode, email me at pastorjeff@lowcountrycc.orgVisit my website https://www.jeffcranston.com and subscribe to my newsletter. Join me on Sunday mornings at LowCountry Community Church. Check in with us on Facebook or Instagram @pastorjeffcranstonRemember, the real power of theology is not only knowing it but applying it. Thanks for listening!

Jesus said to Nicodemus:"No one has gone up to heavenexcept the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,so must the Son of Man be lifted up,so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,so that everyone who believes in him might not perishbut might have eternal life.For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,but that the world might be saved through him.

Nicodemus came in the dark, but Jesus invited him into the light—not with more rules, but with a new life from above. The cure for condemnation isn't our striving; it's the Son lifted up, who carried judgment for us. To believe Him is to step out of shadows and into the gift of everlasting life, already ours in Christ.

Exultation of the Cross Behold the Man: The Cross and Our Shared Criminality Homily on the Passion and the Cross I Corinthians 1:18-24; St. John 19:6-11, 13-20, 25-28, 30-35 Christ was crucified among criminals, a mirror of our own sinfulness and complicity in His Passion.  Yet like the repentant theif, we are invited to turn to Him in humility, behold His mercy, and enter the Kingdom with the New Adam who reveals true humanity.  Enjoy the show! ++++++ Our Lord Jesus Christ, the God-man, was condemned and put on a cross to die in the midst of criminals.  Not just the obvious criminals, such as the thieves on his right and his left, but he was surrounded by them.  For the entire world had been given over to sin.  The religious authorities, the ones who knew the law and the prophets, and should have been the first to support him, were certainly criminal.  They “assembled together… unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and consulted that they might take Jesus by subtlety and kill him.” (Matthew 26:3-4).  They were jealous of Jesus, seeing how “the world is gone after him.” (John 12:9).  They did not want a trial; they wanted his death.  Remember that when the good and law-abiding man, Nicodemus, called them on this and suggested to them that Jesus be brought before the court for a hearing, saying, “Does our law judge any man, before it hears him, and know what he does?”  They mocked Nicodemus, saying, “Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.”  They were not interested in the Law or the Truth or even the facts; they were preserving their own comfort and power, and were willing to break the law and commit murder (deicide!) to protect it.  They were criminals. Nor were they the only criminals.  Think also of Judas, who participated in their perfidy by betraying his alleged friend and teacher for thirty pieces of silver.  And then there was the entire crowd who came out, and in their own criminality, chose the convicted criminal Barabbas over Christ.  As St. Nikolai Velimirovic puts it; “God or a criminal?  And the criminals choose the criminal.” Yes, Christ was surrounded by criminals.  But before we condemn them, let's remember one of the first rules of biblical interpretation; when the scriptures speak of bad men, be they the scribes and pharisees, Judas, the Jewish people, or even common criminals, we are to think not just of them, but how it is that we are like them.  In our fallenness, it is easy to see the criminality of others, especially those with whom we disagree or are from other Babelic tribes than our own.  But so often their crimes are not obvious because they are so heinous, but because they have been magnified by the problems with our vision – we can only see darkness when our eyes are full of darkness and it is hard to see anything objectively when we have giant honking logs sticking out of our eye-sockets.  When tempted by such judgment, let us remember Christ, draw in the sand and say, “Let he who is without sin, throw the first stone.” Yes, we are all criminals of the sort that participated in the passion of our God; petty, jealous, riotous, scheming – it's all there in our hearts and on our lives for everyone to see.  We are the criminals of this story.  All of us have sinned against God and against His Way. But there was one criminal who stepped out of his sin and the propaganda of the devil, and repented.  He accepted that he had earned his suffering.  Again, paraphrasing St. Nikolai; blessed is the criminal who, in the midst of his very real agony, does not lash out in condemnation of the other criminals but rather recognizes that he has earned his cross because of his sins.  The resulting clarity then allows him to see the God-man in his midst, repent, beg for God's mercy, and then find himself in Paradise with his saviour.  We quote this saint every time we take communion: “Remember me, O Lord, when Thou comest into Thy kingdom”.  We imitate his words, but do we imitate the deep transformation that allowed him, while feeling such pain, to say them? And now that we have looked at the crowds of the scene described in today's Gospel, let us look to Christ.  Right before today's reading, Pilate had brought our Lord out before the people after he had been beaten and scourged and had a crown of thorns put on his head and had said, “Behold the man!”. Yes, let us behold the man.  For Jesus was both fully God and fully man.  And His humanity had brought Him immense agony.  Earlier, we saw Him as a man when He was an infant in a cave, and when He and his family fled to Egypt, and when He was hungry and thirsty and had no place to lay his head.  Of course we also saw Him as God, walking on water, quelling storms, healing the sick, and multiplying loaves.  But at no time was his humanity more on display than from the Garden of Gethsemane to the Cross.  First, sweat poured from his head like blood because of anguish, and then that blood was joined by more from the lashes and the crown and the nails.  Jesus in the Garden was tormented; as man he knew pain and was expecting more – and as God He had ordained this as the path to the salvation of the world.  St. Nikolai writes; “these two were in conflict and had to be brought into accord.”  And so the man-mind and will went from the tortured; “if Thou be willing remove this up from Me” to the submissive “nevertheless, not My will, but Thine, be done.”  And when He did this, He acquired a peace that could not be broken by unjust accusations, or blasphemies, or physical pain. Yes, “Behold the Man”!  Behold the sort of man that God had in mind when he first formed Adam.  A man obedient to God and willing to do everything so that some might be saved.  Think of His dignity as He went to His death.  Not only did He avoid grumbling and condemnations, “He worked for the good of all to His dying breath.” (SNV, 201)  He desired good even in the midst of the pain of crucifixion, even in the midst of the most supreme injustice, and even in the midst of those who reviled Him.  As St. Luke records, He said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”  Do we see the charity?  Do we see the love?  Are we not drawn to imitate Him in His magnanimity?  Rather than throwing their sins against their teeth and shouting it out to God for vengeance, He was merciful toward them.  For even if the criminals who assaulted Him used words to justify their blasphemy, they “knew not what they did.” “Behold the Man.” Are we men?  Are we willing to imitate the Ur-Man, the New Adam; the very definition of what it means to be a man?  Can we be charitable in our pain?  Can we look to the salvation or others from the depths of our despair? And if this is, at least for now, beyond our reach, let us then imitate the one at his side, and focus not on the sins of others, but on our own, and turn to God in repentance, crying; “Remember me, Lord, in Thy Kingdom.”

To become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus  (NOT a Morning Mindset resource) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ ⇒Check out all of Carey's books - for adults and kids, fiction and non-fiction : https://CareyGreen.com/books ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 1 Peter 1:3 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (ESV) John 3:3–8 - Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, 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, “Truly, truly, 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 its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (ESV) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Underwrite one daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: @CareyNGreen ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: Subscribe to the SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish Subscribe to the HINDI version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Hindi Subscribe to the CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/   ***All NON-ENGLISH versions of the Morning Mindset are translated using A.I. Dubbing and Translation tools from DubFormer.ai ***All NON-ENGLISH text content (descriptions and titles) are translated using the A.I. functionality of Google Translate.  

Fr. Marc Lenneman joins Patrick to discuss this Sunday’s Gospel from John 3:13-17 Nicodemus comes to Jesus by night because he doesn’t understand how it is possible to be born again. Here we have the theme of salvation and eternal life being introduced in the Gospel of John for the first time. Also, the cross is a place of reality and it is a place where God’s love confronts our sins. We need to get back to the reality that Jesus is active in the World today. The way in which he fights is different but He is in our midst and manifesting His love as mercy. The cross is at the center of everything and it is where the love of God brings peace. It overcomes the chaos and overcomes the evil. (2:31) Everything I learned abut love I learned by looking at the Cross Peter - How does the sin against the Holy Spirit come into play? We become like that which we contemplate Patricia - The agony in the garden is related to what the Father was saying...he took on all of our sins and I had a reflection in Adoration 11 years ago I wanted share.

Wouldn't you like to not only understand God's Word, but also let it transform you by the power of the Holy Spirit? Oh friend, me too!  So today, we have Pastor Dan Jacobsen with us, and he is going to unpack how this is possible. But first, you should know there's something really special about this… Years ago, Dan unearthed an unpublished manuscript tucked away in a dusty manila folder that belonged to his grandfather, the legendary Bible teacher Warren Wiersbe! Dan finished the work his grandfather started, and the result is a beautiful new devotional and this inspiring conversation.  Dan not only gives us the inside scoop on his grandfather's life and ministry, but he also shares insights on why real change matters (no matter your age) and how you can stop settling for superficial fixes and start embracing true, Spirit-led transformation. SHOW NOTES: 413Podcast.com/367  Enter to win the GIVEAWAY and read the episode TRANSCRIPT in the show notes. Get my weekly email, Java with Jennifer, to be notified when a new podcast episode releases. Subscribe HERE.

It's the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Join Dr. Scott Powell and Kate Olivera as they talk about how the Book of Numbers got its name, the importance of memory, and the kenotic hymn in Philippians. Then, Nicodemus has a dialogue with Jesus in the Gospel of John.This episode of Sunday School is sponsored by SEEK. Invite your parish to experience encounter, community, and transformation at SEEK 2026 January 1-5 in Columbus, OH; Fort Worth, TX; and Denver, CO.Learn more at seek.focus.org-Already read the readings? Skip ahead to 5:15Reading 1 - Numbers 21:4b-9Psalm 78: 1bc-2, 34-38Reading 2 - Philippians 2:6-11Gospel - John 3:13-17 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.pillarcatholic.com/subscribe

In this week's message, we continued our Before and After series in the Gospel of John by looking at Nicodemus's conversation with Jesus. Real change doesn't happen by our own strength—it happens when we're born again in Jesus. In John 3, Jesus tells Nicodemus the simple but life-changing truth: look up and believe. Just like Nicodemus, we all need to face the uncomfortable truth that we can't save ourselves, but God has made a way through Jesus. We also heard Mike's powerful testimony of how God brought him from darkness and despair into light and hope. His story is proof that no matter how far you feel from God, transformation is possible when you put your trust in Christ. The good news is simple yet life–changing: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Send us a textWhen they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” So there was a division among the people over Him. John 7:40-43In the Book of John, we see a growing division occurring surrounding Jesus as we come to chapter 7.  There are the Pharisees on one hand; bitterly opposed and against any claims that He is the Messiah.  There are the adherents to His ministry; His disciples and other followers.  But in the middle of both camps there is a third group:  those who are in the middle ground and undecided about Jesus.  They are compelled by His words.  They know there is something about Him.  But the naysayers are speaking loudly; trying to drown out Jesus' voice.  As we look at this passage today, we must admit not much has changed in our world.  There is still a middle ground group that is somewhere between belief and unbelief, faith and doubt.  It is this group we must pray for and minister to.  We are at the edge of great revival as many are turning to Jesus right now.  

In this sermon concluding the "It's Just a Phase" series, we'll explore the universal need for assurance and meaning in life. Everyone wants to know their life counts, no matter what generation they're a part of. We'll see in the story of Nicodemus in John 3:1-9 that true assurance comes not from worldly success but from the transformative love and grace of Jesus Christ. Being born again by faith gives our lives purpose and we can find our assurance in the grace of God. We'll remember to cherish life's small moments and focus on what truly matters: finding meaning and assurance at the Cross.

Nicodemus came to Jesus in the dark, but the Light revealed what he truly needed—new birth from above. The Law could never give that, but the cross did, reconciling us and making us righteous. This isn't about what we can achieve, it's about what Jesus has already finished—so believe, receive, and walk in the freedom of being holy and blameless in Him.

What happens when Jesus meets people face to face? In our new series, One on One, we'll walk through powerful moments where Jesus encounters real people—like Nicodemus, Peter, Zacchaeus, and the Samaritan woman—and see how those same encounters can change our lives today.See what happens when faith gets personal.

Nicodemus, Katja www.deutschlandfunk.de, Kultur heute

Your Daily Prayer

Nicodemus, Katja www.deutschlandfunk.de, Kultur heute

Send us a textDive into one of Christianity's most foundational yet divisive theological questions: Does regeneration precede faith, or does faith come first in the salvation process? This thought-provoking episode examines the biblical evidence with clarity and conviction.The conversation centers on Jesus's teachings to Nicodemus about the new birth and explores Isaiah's profound declaration: "I was found by those who did not seek me." We tackle head-on the implications of believing that human choice initiates salvation versus understanding God as the sovereign initiator of spiritual life.Along the way, we confront uncomfortable truths about modern Christianity's intellectual shallowness and the prevalence of what one speaker calls a "weak, empty, impotent, anemic gospel" that portrays God as waiting helplessly for human decision. The discussion doesn't shy away from difficult doctrines, including brief mentions of reprobation, while maintaining that salvation security can only truly rest in God's sovereign election and preservation.While passionate in their convictions, the speakers emphasize goodwill toward those holding opposing views, recognizing that theological understanding itself is a gift from God. Their careful examination of Scripture challenges listeners to consider whether they've accepted popular teachings without biblical foundation or embraced the full implications of divine sovereignty in salvation.Whether you're wrestling with these concepts for the first time or seeking deeper understanding of familiar doctrines, this episode offers biblical insight, theological depth, and pastoral sensitivity on a topic that touches the very heart of how we understand God's saving grace.The Balance of GrayFaith That Challenges. Conversations that Matter. Laughs included. Subscribe Now!Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

Send us a textWhat does it really mean to be "born again"? This question sits at the heart of Christianity, yet many believers hold dramatically different views on how salvation actually works. Is it something we choose for ourselves, or is it entirely God's sovereign work?In this thought-provoking episode, we dive deep into Jesus's conversation with Nicodemus in John 3, where Christ describes spiritual rebirth as being like the wind that "blows where it wishes." The implications are profound—just as we didn't choose to be physically born, spiritual rebirth comes not from human will but divine initiative.We explore the difference between viewing salvation as a collaborative effort versus seeing it as God's complete work from beginning to end. Using the resurrection of Lazarus as a powerful illustration, we consider how dead people cannot choose to become alive—they must be called forth by divine power. This same principle applies to our spiritual condition before conversion.The conversation touches on challenging questions: Why do many Christians resist these doctrines? What's the historical context for these theological perspectives? How does understanding God's sovereignty in salvation lead to greater assurance rather than anxiety about our standing with God?Whether you're new to these concepts or have wrestled with them for years, this episode offers fresh insights into the nature of God's grace and the true meaning of spiritual rebirth. Join us as we examine what Scripture actually teaches about who initiates, accomplishes, and completes our salvation.The Balance of GrayFaith That Challenges. Conversations that Matter. Laughs included. Subscribe Now!Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

The Gospel of John is a gospel of superabundance. The cosmic Christ made incarnate would of course yield an absolute superabundance of grace, love, and unity.What makes John's Gospel so distinct from the Synoptics? Why does it continue to draw readers into inexhaustible depths of meaning? In this conversation, theologian David Ford reflects on his two-decade journey writing a commentary on John. Together with Drew Collins, he explores John's unique blend of theology, history, and literary artistry, describing it as a “gospel of superabundance” that continually invites readers to trust, to reread, and to enter into deeper life with Christ. Together they explore themes of individuality and community; friendship and love; truth, reconciliation, and unity; the tandem vision of Jesus as both cosmic and intimate; Jesus's climactic prayer for unity in chapter 17. And ultimately the astonishing superabundance available in the person of Christ. Along the way, Ford reflects on his interfaith reading practices, his theological friendships, and the vital role of truth and love for Christian witness today.“There's always more in John's gospel … these big images of light and life in all its abundance.”Episode Highlights“It is a gospel for beginners. But also it's endlessly rich, endlessly deep.”“There's always more in John's gospel and he has these big images of light and, life in all its abundance.”“It all culminates in love. Father, I desire that those also you, whom you have given me, may be with me.”“On the cross, evil, suffering, sin, death happened to Jesus. But Jesus happens to evil, suffering, sin, death.”“We have to go deeper into God and Jesus, deeper into community, and deeper into the world.”Show NotesDavid Ford on writing a commentary on John over two decadesJohn's Gospel compared to the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke)John as theological history writing (Rudolf Schnackenburg)John's purpose statement in chapter 20: written so that you may trust“A gospel for beginners” with simple language and cosmic depthJohn as a gospel of superabundance: light, life, Spirit without measureJohn's focus on individuals: Nicodemus, Samaritan woman, man born blind, Martha, Mary, LazarusThe Beloved Disciple and John's communal authorshipFriendship, love, and unity in the Farewell Discourses (John 13–17)John 17 as the most profound chapter in ScriptureThe crisis of rewriting: scrapping 15 years of writing to begin anewScriptural reasoning with Jews, Muslims, and Christians on John's GospelWrestling with John 8 and the polemics against “the Jews”Reconciliation across divisionsJohn's vision of discipleship: learning, loving, praying, and living truthHelpful Links and ResourcesDavid Ford, The Gospel of John: A Theological CommentaryRudolf Schnackenburg, The Gospel According to St. JohnAbout David FordDavid F. Ford is Regius Professor of Divinity Emeritus at the University of Cambridge. He has written extensively on Christian theology, interfaith engagement, and scriptural reasoning. His most recent work is The Gospel of John: A Theological Commentary (Baker Academic, 2021). Ford is co-founder of the Cambridge Interfaith Programme and the Rose Castle Foundation.Production NotesThis podcast featured David FordInterview by Drew CollinsEdited and Produced by Evan RosaHosted by Evan RosaProduction Assistance by Macie Bridge, Alexa Rollow, and Emily BrookfieldA Production of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School https://faith.yale.edu/aboutSupport For the Life of the World podcast by giving to the Yale Center for Faith & Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/giveThis episode was made possible in part by the generous support of the Tyndale House Foundation. For more information visit Tyndale.foundation.

Drawing from Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus in John 3, Dr. Stanley explains that salvation is a supernatural transformation initiated by the Holy Spirit.

Drawing from Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus in John 3, Dr. Stanley explains that salvation is a supernatural transformation initiated by the Holy Spirit.

Drawing from Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus in John 3, Dr. Stanley explains that salvation is a supernatural transformation initiated by the Holy Spirit.

In this powerful sermon, Pastor Jason Polk of Echo Church unpacks one of the most iconic passages in Scripture John 3 and the story of Nicodemus. Through humor, relatable stories, and deep biblical insight, Pastor Jason challenges us to stop measuring our faith by what we do and start with who Jesus is. Discover how true transformation begins in the mind, moves to the heart, and flows into our actions. Learn what it really means to be “lifted up” with Christ, why courage is essential in sharing your faith, and how a late-night encounter changed Nicodemus forever. Whether you've been walking with Jesus for years, feel far from Him, or are simply curious, this message will point you back to the cross and remind you: look to Christ, and then lift Him up for others to see.

Nicodemus, Katja www.deutschlandfunk.de, Kultur heute

JOHN 7:25-52 - LIVING WATER - BRIAN SUMNER - 2025"25 Now some of them from Jerusalem said, “Is this not He whom they seek to kill? 26 But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is [a]truly the Christ? 27 However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.”28 Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, “You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. 29 But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me.”30 Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. 31 And many of the people believed in Him, and said, “When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?”32 The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him. 33 Then Jesus said to them, “I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me. 34 You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come.”35 Then the Jews said among themselves, “Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him? Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What is this thing that He said, ‘You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come'?”37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.40 Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Christ.”But some said, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?” 43 So there was a division among the people because of Him. 44 Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.45 Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why have you not brought Him?”46 The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this Man!”47 Then the Pharisees answered them, “Are you also deceived? 48 Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.”50 Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, 51 “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?”52 They answered and said to him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.”To support this channel and partner with Brian in Ministryhttps://www.briansumner.net/support/For more on Brianhttp://www.briansumner.nethttps://www.instagram.com/BRIANSUMNER/https://www.facebook.com/BRIANSUMNEROFFICIALTo listen to Brians Podcast, click below.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Purchase Brians Marriage book at https://www.amazon.com/Never-Fails-Da...Brian is a full time "Urban Missionary" both locally and internationally with a focus on MISSIONS - MARRIAGES - MINISTRY. Since coming to faith in 2004 doors continued opening locally and internationally to do more and more ministry with a focus on Evangelism, Outreach Missions, Marriage, Counsel, Schools, Festivals, Conferences and the like.  Everything abouSupport the showSUPPORT THE SHOW

Nicodemus, Katja www.deutschlandfunk.de, Kultur heute

John 8:12-20,Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. 17 In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. 18 I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” 19 They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20 These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.Last week we saw that Nicodemus told the Pharisees that they should give Jesus a hearing. Chapter 7, verse 51 he said: the law doesn't “judge a man until first giving him a hearing and learning what he does” (7:51). And again, this was the most reasonable thing said in Chapter 7, but the Pharisees completely wrote it off. They refuse to hear Jesus, and in Chapter 8 it gets even worse. Every time the Pharisees speak in Chapter 8, they reveal how off the rails they are with Jesus. They do not get him at all. We could call their example a masterclass in how to misunderstand Jesus — which we don't want to do!The Pharisees are a cautionary tale. And their bad responses to Jesus are so featured in this passage, you could argue it's the main idea here. John wants to make sure we take note of what they do, so that we don't make the same mistakes. That's how I'd like to organize the sermon. Today I want to show you three ways how NOT to be like the Pharisees — it all has to do with how we respond to Jesus. If you don't want to be like the Pharisees, here's the first thing you do with Jesus:1. Hear his word. Look at verse 12:Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”Now, let's just stop here for a minute and consider how amazing this statement is. Keep in mind: this is not outta the blue. The Pharisees have a context for Jesus making some big claims: They've heard him say, John 2:19, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”They heard him say, John 5:17, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” (Which means he was calling God his Father and making himself equal with God, [v. 18]).They just heard him say, John 7:37, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.”These are big claims, and here in Chapter 8, verse 12, Jesus does it again.He says,“I am the light of the world.” And maybe you hear that and you're not really sure what he means; maybe you've got more questions; but regardless of your questions — even before you fully understand what he's saying, we all can see that Jesus is claiming something about himself in reference to the world. And that's a big deal. He's not saying “I am the light of Nazareth, my hometown.” Or “I was the light of my high school football team.” I was all-state.No, he is what he is “of the world.” As in the whole wide world. Could you imagine talking to someone today and in the conversation they claim to be something in reference to the whole wide world? Think about that. If someone told you they were anything of the world, you would either think they're crazy or at least be intrigued.And remember the context here: Jesus has already been making some big claims and he's done all these signs and people are believing in him.And so in that context of seeing and hearing all this from Jesus, when you hear him say he's the light of the world, how do you think you'd respond?You think you'd at least say, “Tell me more.” Or, “What kind of light?” But the Pharisees do nothing like that! Jesus makes this high-magnitude statement in verse 12, and look how the Pharisees respond, in verse 13,So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.”Get this: They completely ignore the content of what Jesus says, and they take issue with his form. Instead of actually hearing what he said, they throw a flag on how he said it! Basically, their reply is to say: “[Alarm sound] The current form of your speech has invalidated the claim.” They think they're so smart. They think they just dunked on Jesus. We're gonna talk more about this dialogue next week, but for today I just want you to notice what the Pharisees miss with Jesus. I want us to do what they don't do, which starts with hearing Jesus's word. Do What They Don'tWhen I say “hearing his word” I mean both the actual words of Jesus in John 8:12, and his word as in his message, which we have in the Bible. Hearing Jesus, listening to Jesus — for us this means that we read and pay attention to Holy Scripture. So I want you to make the connection here: ignoring Scripture means ignoring the word of Jesus; we ignore the word of Jesus by ignoring Scripture.Let's not do that. And this goes for all of us. Everybody, track with me here: Stop looking for reasons to deprive yourself from listening to Jesus. Because that is something we do. And we can try to come up with reasons for why.One reason you might deprive yourself from listening to Jesus is that you've got some church-hurt: Christians in the past have let you down. And truly, I'm sorry if that's part of your story. We all have different experiences here, and I want to be sensitive to that, and, at the same time, if Christians in the past have let you down, you should know that Christians in the future will let you down too. Because Christians are humans, and humans let other humans down. This is life on life's terms. And as frustrating and difficult as this is, it's not a reason to ignore Jesus. You gotta hear him. So if you're here and you need to get reacquainted with Jesus, or if you're brand-new to Jesus, I want to encourage you, give a fresh read to the Gospel of John. That's a really good place to start. Here's a great resource: Speak Life 321.But another reason you might deprive yourself from hearing the word of Jesus is that you don't have time. You're too busy. And of course, everybody is busy (or at least we all think we are). I've got a friend who grew up in Kentucky, and he told me that as a kid, every time he'd tell his Dad that he was hungry, his Dad would say, “Boy, you ain't never been hungry in your life.”I tried that out on a kid this summer. They told me they were too busy, and I said, “Child, you ain't never been busy in your life.” Some of us need to hear that.We gotta get out of the tunnel vision. We gotta look around. We make time for what matters most to us, and nobody is too busy to hear Jesus's word. We can't be.Hearing Jesus's word — reading the Bible — look, it's the non-negotiable for both first-time faith and for growing faith. This goes for everybody. You can't believe in Jesus, and you can't become like Jesus, apart from his word.The Pharisees refused to hear him; don't be like the Pharisees. Hear his word. The second way to not be like the Pharisees is …2. See his light. Unlike the Pharisees, we're not skipping what Jesus says in verse 12. We're not changing the subject. We're staying here the rest of the sermon because he says he's light of the world — and wanna know: “Tell me more” and “What kind of light?” Now there are a couple different angles we could take to try and understand what Jesus says…The historical context is the Feast of Booths, which we talked about last week. Jerusalem was crowded with people for this feast, and apparently, part of the festivities included a lighting ceremony in the temple. There would have been big lamps shining in the temple, and so some say Jesus is using his light metaphor to connect with that tangible experience. There were literal lights in the temple, so Jesus looked around and said he's the light. That's possible. Jesus did that sort of thing. But, this also is not the first time we've read about light in this Gospel. (There's the historical context of the event, but also the literary context of the text.) It goes back to the very start. John tells us right away about Jesus, Chapter 1, verse 4:“In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”Verse 9,“The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.”And John doesn't stop here. The light metaphor shows up all throughout the Gospel, and my hunch is that that's what we should be thinking about when we hear Jesus in Chapter 8, verse 12. So what kind of light is this?How does what John says about light in this Gospel help us here? Well, I don't think John means to narrow the metaphor to only one kind of light. Light is a broad metaphor and John likes to layer things, so I think this metaphor is layered. I think there are at least three kinds of light that Jesus is — he's an exposing light, an illumining light, and a welcoming light. I'll explain…Exposing lightThis is a light that exposes what is hidden. It calls out sin and banishes darkness. In the immediate context, this seems to be the front-runner idea because right after verse 12 the conversation is about judgment. Jesus also said back in Chapter 3, verse 19,“And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.”So no doubt, Jesus is an exposing light, and the Pharisees can't stand him. In Chapter 3, Jesus gave us a category for what the Pharisees are doing in Chapter 8. Jesus exposes.Illumining lightThis is a light that reveals or makes known. It's the kind of light you need when you're stuck in a cave and everything around you is dark. There's a way to go, but you can't see it. You need a flash light! You need a light to illumine the way. Jesus is this kind of light. That's what John Chapter 1 is getting at.John 1:18,“No one has ever seen God, but Jesus has made him known.”Jesus says in John 14:6,“Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” Jesus shows us God. He reveals God. He's an illumining light.Welcoming lightThis is a light that tells you where home is. Jesus is this kind of light. He says in John 12:46,“I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” He said in John 12:36,“While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”That's an invitation, see…As an exposing light, Jesus exposes the sin we try to hide.As an illumining light, Jesus illumines the truth of God. As a welcoming light, Jesus invites us home.And it's this third one I want us to think more about … the welcoming light that Jesus is to this world.“I Saw the Light”Growing up in church in the South, we didn't always sing Hank Williams, but when we did, we sang his classic, “I Saw the Light.” Y'all know this song? …y'all know Hank Williams? He was the Hillbilly Shakespeare. There's a great story behind the song…It was 1947. Hank had played a concert somewhere in Alabama and afterwards went on a terrible drinking binge, almost drank himself to death; lost all touch with reality. His mother had come to get him and bring him home — he was only 23 years old. Well, his parents lived next to an airport and there was a big runway light that would sweep across the sky, and as the car got closer to home — he's barely awake in the backseat, but his mom's driving — she sees the sky light up, and she says, “Hank, I saw the light. We're almost home.”And the story goes that her words struck him. He might have been born again — we don't know, he had a complicated life — but in that moment, he managed to scribble down the lyrics to the song. It starts like this:I wandered so aimless, life filled with sinI wouldn't let my dear Savior inThen Jesus came like a stranger in the nightPraise the Lord, I saw the light“I saw the light” — it's a conversion song. To “see the light” is another way we talk about “believing in Jesus.” It means something has changed. Jesus is that kind of light.He's the lighthouse shining when you're surrounded by the raging sea; he's the sunrise that means your darkest night has ended; he's the front porch light left on when you've been in the far country — Jesus is the light of the world who says to all of us, “Come home.”He is shining and saying Believe in me and come home to God.But the Pharisees refuse to. They love their darkness. They love their lostness. And so Jesus tells them very directly in verse 24, “you will die in your sins.”Everybody, look: don't be like the Pharisees. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” See his light. Put your faith in Jesus Christ. And welcome home.Third way not to be like the Pharisees …3. Follow his path. This is the second part of verse 12. After Jesus makes the declaration that he's the light of the world, he follows that declaration with a conditional promise. And this one I really want you to see. So everybody, find verse 12:“I am the light of the world...”Second sentence — “…Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”The promise here is a negative/positive: you will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. That's a good promise, right? But it's conditional. This is not for everyone, but it's only for those who, Jesus says, follow me. Whoever follows me, that's who this promise applies to.And something interesting here is that Jesus uses the word “to follow.” He mostly uses the word to believe. It shows up a lot in the Gospel of John. He'll use it soon in verse 24, but here, in verse 12, he says Whoever follows me. And I don't know why exactly he does this. It might be because “follow” fits better with the metaphor: when you see the light, you follow it. You could believe light, but it makes more sense to follow light.But the main thing that I want you to catch here is that to truly believe in Jesus and to follow Jesus are one in the same. Being a Christ-FollowerNow lots of people might “believe” in Jesus as in they recognize his historicity — they recognize he was a real person and I like most of what he says — that kind of “believing” happens in this story, we'll see next week (8:30–31) — that's one kind of believing. But there's another kind of believing that means to follow him. And that's the believing Jesus is looking for. This is believing that says I'm looking to you and listening to you. I'll go where you lead me. I'll do what you say. I follow you.I met a new friend recently, one of the dads of my son's baseball teammates. We were standing together watching a practice, and in the conversation right away, I told him I was a Christian and I asked him if he had a Christian background — I've found that's a good way to start a spiritual conversation (most people have some kind of religious background).So I asked him, and he said, “Oh, yes, we are Christ-followers.”And I caught what he was doing there. He was letting me know, “Hey, I'm not a Christian as in my grandma took me to church when I was a kid.”I'm more Christian than just my background. My faith is not nominal. I follow Jesus. Now he didn't say that, but that's what he was saying.And I said to him, Praise God. You're not a Pharisee! (I didn't really say it, but I was thinking it.)See, the Pharisees had a lot of face-to-face with Jesus. They see him, they hear him, they've heard about him. Jesus became very much a part of their world. They couldn't deny him. But one thing they keep doing, and they do again here, is they refuse to follow him. Which then means they stay in darkness and don't have life.What about you? Do you follow Jesus? Is your believing true believing that means your highest allegiance is to Jesus? Whatever he wants, that's what you want. Do you follow him?Hey, don't be like the Pharisees. We need to see what they're like in this chapter so that we can run hard in the opposite direction, toward Jesus, which means we: Hear his word. See his light. Follow his path. That's what brings us to the Table. The TableWhat I've asked Jesus to do through this sermon is to bring you to himself. I don't know exactly what that means for each of you, but whatever it means, that's what I want Jesus to do. I got the idea from John Calvin. In his commentary on John 8:12, because of the promise — not walking in darkness, having the light of life — he writes,“…we ought to be excited to follow Jesus, and, indeed, by stretching out his hand — as it were — he draws us to himself.”Can you imagine that? Whatever you got going on in your life, Jesus is saying to you, Come on. Whether it's first-time faith or growing faith, Jesus — as it were — stretches out his hand to you this morning, and at his table we respond…If you're not yet a Christian, make today the day you truly believe. If you are a Christian, let's eat and drink now from his Table, and give him thanks.

Although the work of regeneration by the Holy Spirit was wrought under the Old Testament, even from the foundation of the world, and the doctrine of it was recorded in the Scriptures, yet the revelation of it was but obscure in comparison of that light and evidence which it is brought forth into by the gospel. This is evident from the discourse which our blessed Saviour had with Nicodemus on this subject; for when he acquainted him clearly with the doctrine of it, he was surprised, and fell into that inquiry, which argued some amazement, "How can these things be?" But yet the reply of our Saviour manifests that he might have attained a better acquaintance with it out of the Scripture than he had done:

Today, we are focusing on John 8:1-3. However, the chapter divide seems strange because it separates a sentence with a contrasting conjunction. So I'm going to read the last verses of chapter 7 and ignore the chapter break so we can get the line of reason. Let's remember that the day before, during the great day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus called the thirsty to come to Him and drink. He promised them that rivers of living water would flow from them. He caused quite an uproar and a great division developed about who Jesus is. Nicodemus (he who came to Him before, being one of them) said to them, “Our Law does not judge a man unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?” They answered him, “You are not also from Galilee, are you? Search, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee.” Everyone went to his home. But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. Jesus spent the night on the Mount of Olives, whereas the Pharisees went to their homes. Early the next morning, Jesus was back in the temple area, teaching those who came to Him. These are the thirsty souls responding to His invitation to come and drink. Notice how He made Himself available to them. This is a good reminder to us about how we might love with Jesus. We make ourselves available to people who are thirsty and hungry. We offer others an invitation to be with us and drink from the life of Jesus within. Then, when they respond, we make ourselves available to them. How available are you to those you want to love and serve? It is possible to be so occupied with our activities that we don't make time for others. Being available means we'll have to go where they are. We may need to slow down our roll and wait on them to sit down with us to talk. Jesus wanted to be with the people. This means we don't rush out of church and go on our way, but we hang out to see who the Lord puts in our paths. I hope this encourages us to look for opportunities to be with people for the purpose of loving with Jesus. I invite you to become a partner in our ministry. Would you pray about becoming a regular supporter of Elijah Ministries and the Live to Love with Jesus ministry? I hope you will receive the joy and benefit of "giving it forward," so others may receive encouragement to turn their hearts to God and to live to love with Jesus. You may give online or send a check to the address listed at www.spiritofelijah.com/donate.

31/08/2025 – Morning Service Rev Ian M Watson Numbers 21:4-9, John 3:1-21 The post Nicodemus encounters Jesus appeared first on Hope Church Blackwood & Kirkmuirhill.

J. Spruill - Born Again/Nicodemus John 3:1-21

Send us a textThe age-old tension between grace and human effort takes center stage in this thought-provoking discussion of Paul's letter to the Galatians. Drawing from the apostle's fiery defense of the gospel, we explore why so many people—both in ancient Galatia and modern times—struggle with the concept of salvation by grace alone.Why do we instinctively resist authority and divine intervention? Our conversation examines how human nature craves recognition and control, even in spiritual matters. "Nobody likes being told what to do, and men don't like to do anything that they don't get credit for," one participant observes, capturing the essence of our resistance to pure grace.The discussion takes a fascinating turn as we explore Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus about being "born again"—revealing how this spiritual rebirth parallels God's creation narrative. Just as the formless, dark void of Genesis 1 awaited God's "Let there be light," our spiritual condition requires divine illumination before transformation can begin. This powerful metaphor helps us understand why salvation must begin with God's initiative rather than our own.We don't shy away from controversial topics, including a critical examination of modern church practices like altar calls and "rededications" that may inadvertently undermine the very gospel they aim to promote. The conversation includes a particularly revealing look at Paul's provocative language in Galatians 5:12, where his frustration with legalists reaches a surprising climax.Whether you're wrestling with questions about divine sovereignty, human free will, or the nature of true spiritual freedom, this episode offers refreshing insights from scripture that challenge conventional wisdom. You'll come away with a deeper appreciation for the radical nature of grace and why, as one participant beautifully phrases it, "The only way to be free is to be a slave to Christ."The Balance of GrayFaith That Challenges. Conversations that Matter. Laughs included. Subscribe Now!Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

John 7:50-53 Nicodemus (he who came to Him before, being one of them) said to them, “Our Law does not judge a man unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?” They answered him, “You are not also from Galilee, are you? Search, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee.” Everyone went to his home. This was pretty bold of Nicodemus, wasn't it? Perhaps John wanted to show that, yes, there was a ruler or Pharisee who believed in Jesus. Remember John's account of Nicodemus' encounter with Jesus, recorded in John 3? There was no indication that Nicodemus became a believer then, but here he kinda stood up for Jesus. It wasn't a declaration of faith from Nicodemus, but it was an appeal to give Jesus a hearing. They responded in ignorance. They wrongly thought Jesus was born in Galilee. The point was that they had not even cared enough to do research on where Jesus was really from. It would have been easy to discover. In fact, Nicodemus' suggestion was simply to ask Him. The point I want to zero in on is Nick's apparent courage to buck the peer pressure. He could tell they were determined to have a mock trial and a quick murder. Maybe he was merely testing them to see if there was any sober thinking. There was none but he. Sometimes, that will be the case with us. There will be none who will side with us or want to hear from us. We need the courage of Nicodemus to speak up in defense of Jesus. Nick did the loving thing. He spoke for their highest good. He entreated them to settle down, think more clearly, and not rush headlong into injustice and evil. I encourage us today to be ready to resist the temptation to remain silent when the loving thing to do is to speak up and be the one who speaks with wisdom, reason, peace, and love. May we have courage under fire like Nicodemus to buck the pressure to go along with the crazed, self-glorifying, greedy mainstream. Let's pray that we will be filled with the Holy Spirit so we can testify unashamedly about Jesus and love unconditionally for the glory of God. Father, through your son Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, give us courage today to be bold and to reveal Jesus Christ and His love. Amen. I invite you to become a partner in our ministry. Would you pray about becoming a regular supporter of Elijah Ministries and the Live to Love with Jesus ministry? I hope you will receive the joy and benefit of "giving it forward," so others may receive encouragement to turn their hearts to God and to live to love with Jesus. You may give online or send a check to the address listed at www.spiritofelijah.com/donate.

Weltstar George Clooney spielt in seinem neuen Film "Jay Kelly" sich selbst - einen Hollywoodstar mit all seiner Verletzlichkeit. Der Film habe eine melancholische Tiefe, die man noch in keinem Clooney-Film sah, meint Filmexpertin Katja Nicodemus. Nicodemus, Katja www.deutschlandfunk.de, Kultur heute

In this message, Pastor Caleb discusses Nicodemus overcoming the hurt of religiosity to seek Jesus and learning about salvation.  Overcoming the hurt caused by religiosity includes seeking God for oneself and not allowing the hindrance of other people or emotions to stop having a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  Send us a textSupport the showFor more information for our church visit AGCSparta.org.

Read OnlineJesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.”  Matthew 23:27–28This would not have been an easy thing for the scribes and Pharisees to hear. It is a hard truth, spoken by our Lord, partly in an attempt to shake them free of their sin. And even though they may not have enjoyed hearing this clear condemnation spoken, since it came from the Savior of the World, we can be sure that these are words of the deepest love and were spoken so that these men would repent and change their ways.Perhaps each of us, at times, feels like criticizing another. Most often, when we feel this way, it stems from our own personal sin of anger. Perhaps we were hurt by another and that hurt results in a desire for a form of vengeance that comes from anger. But this was not the case with Jesus.First, these words were spoken by Jesus to his disciples and to the crowds of people, not only to the scribes and Pharisees. So in many ways Jesus spoke this for the good of those who were suffering under the misguided leadership of these religious leaders. But Jesus knew that these leaders would also hear His words, so He spoke those words to them. But unlike us, He did it out of perfect virtue so as to care for their souls.At times, each one of us needs to hear Jesus rebuke us in love. If any of the scribes and Pharisees were open at that time, then Jesus' words would have first stung them to the heart but then had the powerful effect of challenging them to change. They needed this and so do we. When we become stuck in our sins, especially if obstinacy sets in, then we need to allow Jesus to challenge us firmly. Such a challenge can be rattling, but that rattling is sometimes necessary. Emotion and passion can lead to sin, but it can also lead to repentance and conversion. The passion with which Jesus spoke became an instrument by which their own passions made them sit up and take notice. The result was that they either became more steeped in their sin or they repented. And though most became even more steeped in sin, which ultimately resulted in their persecution and death of Jesus, we can hope that there were some who did repent, such as Nicodemus. Reflect, today, upon the strength of Jesus' words to these religious leaders. Though they were supposed to be both “religious” and “leaders,” they were neither. They needed Jesus' strength, courage and firmness. They needed to be confronted directly and receive the hard and clear truth about their sin.Reflect upon what it is in your own life that Jesus wants to say to you. Is there an area of your life in which our Lord needs to address you with passion, strength, clarity and firmness? Most likely there is. Perhaps not in an area of serious sin like it was with these scribes and Pharisees, but if we are open, Jesus wants to powerfully go after every sin within us. Open yourself to Him and allow Him to help rid you of the sins with which you struggle the most. And be grateful for this grace when He does.My passionate Lord, You hate sin but love the sinner. You perfectly desire to rid me of all sin and all attachment to sin. Please open my mind and heart to hear Your rebukes of Love so that I may respond to Your invitation to repent with all my heart. I love You dear Lord. Free me from sin so that I may love You more. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image via Adobe StockSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Born of Water and Spirit: What Did Jesus Really Mean? | Word of Mouth PodcastJesus told Nicodemus in John 3:5, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”But what does that really mean? Was Jesus talking about natural birth… or baptism? Was He repeating Himself about spiritual birth, or was He revealing the true plan of salvation?In this episode, we dive deep into:✅ What “water” means in the Greek (hudōr = literal water)✅ Why Jesus wasn't talking about amniotic fluid or natural birth✅ How the book of Acts consistently shows baptism in Jesus' Name + the Holy Ghost✅ Old Testament shadows — Noah's flood, the Red Sea, and how they point to baptism✅ Why tongues is the evidence of the Spirit and not just a “gift”✅ Why Jesus said, “Marvel not… Ye must be born again.”This isn't about tradition. This isn't about denomination. This is about what Jesus said — and how the early church obeyed it.✝️ If you've never been baptized in Jesus' Name or filled with the Holy Ghost, this episode is for you.—

(Joh 3:1 KJV) There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:(Joh 3:2 KJV) The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.(Joh 3:3 KJV) Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.(Joh 3:4 KJV) Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?(Joh 3:5 KJV) Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.(Joh 3:6 KJV) That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.(Joh 3:7 KJV) Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.(Joh 3:8 KJV) The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Sunday morning service preaching from the pulpit of Woodland Baptist Church – Winston Salem, NC * Please feel free to visit our website at woodlandbaptistnow.com

Nicodemus & Jesus by First Pres Kingwood

John 14:12 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.Matthew 14:22-33 22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It's a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid.”28 “Lord, if it's you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”29 “Come,” he said.Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”Luke 9:1-6 9 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.Luke 5:1-11 5 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,[a] the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”5 Simon answered, “Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don't be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.John 3:1-21 3 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.[a]”4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother's womb to be born!”5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[c] must be born again.' 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”[d]9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.10 “You are Israel's teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.[e] 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,[f] 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”[g]16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.Isaiah 54:2 “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.

John 7:25-52,Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? 26 And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? 27 But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.” 28 So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. 29 I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.” 30 So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?”32 The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest him. 33 Jesus then said, “I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. 34 You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.” 35 The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What does he mean by saying, ‘You will seek me and you will not find me,' and, ‘Where I am you cannot come'?”37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.40 When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So there was a division among the people over him. 44 Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.45 The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” 46 The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!” 47 The Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? 48 Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.” 50 Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, 51 “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” 52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”It's a busy time of year! It marks the ending of one season and the beginning of another — and so there's a lot of excitement in the air! People are grateful for how God has provided in the past; they're hopeful for how God will provide in the future. And that of course is what the Feast of Booths is all about — that's what's going on here in Jerusalem in John Chapter 7.We saw the mention of “The Feast of Booths” last week in verse 2, but I want to circle back to it this week because it's vital context for our passage today.The Feast of Booths was one of the great festivals that God commanded for Israel in the Book of Leviticus. The people would build booths (temporary shelters) and live in them for a week to remember how God provided for them way back after the exodus, and how he continued to provide for them (see Lev. 23:33–43; Deut. 16:13–15).This feast would come at the end of the agricultural year — the seventh month — which is roughly September on our calendar. So for your imagination: the events of our passage today happened around this time of year.So picture this: Jerusalem is packed with people who've come from all-over for this festival; all the kids got on their new back-to-school clothes; and they're having a week-long party — except this year was different because the whole city is abuzz with talk about this man named Jesus. And we can catch the commotion here just by a simple reading — we heard about Jesus's brothers at the start of this chapter, and then we hear about “the Jews,” “the people,” “the crowds,” “some of the people of Jerusalem,” “the Pharisees,” “the chief priests,” “the officers,” “the authorities,” and finally “Nicodemus.”Now there's overlap in some of these groups, but John uses each of these different words to describe what's going on, and the impression he gives us is that there's a whole bunch of different people talking about Jesus. They all want to know who he is, and everybody's got their own opinion. So Chapter 7 is a cacophony of questions about Jesus, and he's right in the middle of it … and we are too.This is the brilliance of God's word. As the readers of this story, we know things that the characters in this story don't know. We call this dramatic irony — and John, who wrote this Gospel, is a master of it! John lets us overhear everyone's questions about Jesus, all while he's already told us the truth about Jesus — we have the fuller perspective, and John means to involve us! He draws us into this story as readers and he gives us a part — there are ways he expects us to respond. I wanna tell you three.For the sermon, I want to tell you three ways we should respond to the buzz about Jesus in Chapter 7. And here's what's at stake: if you do these three things, it will change your life. 1. Give Jesus a hearing. We're going to actually start with the ending. Everybody find verse 45. This is the last debate of the chapter, between the chief priests, the Pharisees, and the officers. We see that word “officers” a few times. Other translations call these officers the “temple guard” or even “temple police.” We should imagine them as basically temple mall cops. Their job was to keep things in order around the temple, but they didn't carry guns.And well, back in verse 32, the chief priests and Pharisees told these temple mall cops to go arrest Jesus. The Pharisees kept hearing the crowds talk about Jesus and they had enough, so they said, Go get him and bring him in. Now everybody look at verse 45: The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!”The chief priests and Pharisees did not like this answer. The mall cops came back without Jesus, and their defense for why they didn't arrest him was: This man is different! We don't know the full details here, but apparently these guys got close enough to Jesus to take him, but they were enamored by his words (which is a good first step toward faith) — but the Pharisees weren't having it. They attacked these guys. Look at verse 47: The Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.”The Irony of NicodemusNow this is important — I need everybody to track with me here. In verse 47, I want you to see that the Pharisees are suggesting a contrast between themselves and the crowd — and we have to see the contrast in order to see the deep irony going on here.When the Pharisees ask if the authorities or Pharisees believed in Jesus, that's a rhetorical question (the implied answer is Of course not!).They're saying: The crowd might believe in Jesus because they don't know any better — they're a bunch of dummies! But we're smart! (That's my paraphrase.) Let me read you another paraphrase of these verses, to help us really see what's going on here. Verse 46: The police answered, “Have you heard the way he talks? We've never heard anyone speak like this man.” The Pharisees said, “Are you carried away like the rest of the rabble? You don't see any of the leaders believing in him, do you? Or any from the Pharisees? It's only this crowd, ignorant of God's Law, that is taken in by him—and damned.” (Verses 46-49, The Message)See what they're saying?That is all meant to set up verse 50. Everybody find verse 50.Okay, somebody tell me the first word in verse 50 … Nicodemus!Interesting! We know who he is! We met Nicodemus back in Chapter 3. John tells us in John 3:1,“Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.” Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a ruler, which were different. There's historical evidence that confirms that Nicodemus belonged to an extremely prominent Jewish family in the First Century. They had incredible wealth and aristocratic influence — in almost every worldly metric you could imagine. Nicodemus was a big deal.And in Chapter 3, he came to Jesus one night, in private, with a bunch of questions. And Jesus told him that you have to be born again by the Holy Spirit, and he told him that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus said that to Nicodemus, but then Nicodemus disappears from the story. We don't know how he responded … he doesn't show back up until now, in Chapter 7, verse 50. So catch this:The Pharisees say: Look, knuckleheads! You don't see any of us Pharisees believing in Jesus do you?The next verse starts, “Nicodemus …” Verse 50,Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?”This is the most reasonable sentence spoken by any of the characters in this chapter. Nicodemus says, Give him a hearing. It's that simple. Before you dig in your heels on who you think Jesus is, hear him out. See what he's about.Nicodemus is basically saying, Do what I did. The Pharisees think none of their own have believed in Jesus, but they don't know what we know! Actually, one of their best and brightest had believed, and in verse 50 he's telling them how he took that step: Give Jesus a hearing. Said for Us!And I want us to understand that Nicodemus says this for us. The Pharisees don't budge. They're that hardened. They even take a dig at Nicodemus in verse 52 by saying he's from Galilee — they know where Nicodemus was from. They're insulting him. So the Pharisees don't hear Jesus; the question is: will we?Will we hear Jesus out?We have to. You've heard me say this before about the late Tim Keller — a pastor in New York for decades. I agree with him when he said the magnitude of Jesus's claims and the magnitude of his historical impact demands every thoughtful person to hear him out. Because of what Jesus said and what he did, you can't just doubt him from a distance, you have to look closer. Keller gives the illustration: he says imagine you get a letter in the mail from one of the biggest law firms in the country and it says, “Dear [your name], Please call us as soon as possible. You are a long-lost heir of the British throne. These assets and mansions belong to you.” You might think that's ridiculous, but you're going to look into it, right? You're gonna at least make a phone call? The magnitude of the claim is too great not to hear it out.And so it is with Jesus. We must at least hear him out. That's what Nicodemus says. Give Jesus a hearing.This is the second way we should respond to this story …2. Give Jesus your thirst.Jump back to verse 37. Verses 37–39 are the high point of this chapter. It's the concluding words of Jesus in this scene, and I want you to notice something in verse 37 — Jesus didn't just reply and give an answer this time, but he stood up and “cried out” — and that same word for “cry out” in verse 37 is translated “proclaim” in verse 28. It's the exact same verb in verses 28 and 37 and it means to say something with a loud voice.So if we were to track the speaking moments of Jesus in this chapter, from the start of the chapter to its end, it goes like this … it starts in verse 6. Verse 6: “Jesus said to them”Verse 16: “Jesus answered them”Verse 21: “Jesus answered them”Verse 28: “Jesus proclaimed”Verse 37: “Jesus stood up and proclaimed”There's an escalation happening. Jesus literally gets louder until in verse 37 he stands up and gets loud. So this is the high point! All eyes are on him!And the setting, again, is important. Verse 37 starts by telling us this happened “On the last day of the feast, the great day” — What feast? What is John talking about?This is the Feast of Booths — remember verse 2? The “Feasts of Booth was at hand” — and now in verse 37 John is making a connection between that feast and what Jesus says here. So what is that? What's the connection?Pointing to HimWell, remember the Feast of Booths was about recognizing God's provision for Israel after the exodus. Israel wandered through the desert for forty years and God met their needs, and one of those big needs, we know, was water. The people were thirsty and God gave them water to drink — and part of this feast highlighted that provision! So we know that on this last day of the feast, people were thinking about water. The people were remembering and celebrating God's provision of water in the wilderness, and so with water literally on their minds, Jesus stands up in the middle of that and he cries out:“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink! Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'”Jesus is saying he's the one this feast has been pointing to this whole time. It's always been about him. He is God's true and ultimate provision for our ultimate thirst!It's amazing that Jesus did this. He caused this scene and said these words to make clear that the people's thirst is not just a thing of history, but they still thirst. He knows it. They know it. There is no modesty here. No riddles to solve. No hard sayings. Jesus is yelling. He's loud:If you're thirsty — and I know you thirst — that's why I've come!And I can almost hear the earnestness in his voice — hoarse with sincerity … heavy with seriousness … hopeful to save. He's speaking both invitation and fact. And everyone hears him, but do we hear him? Do we learn what he does?Mining Our Own ThirstImagine your own life for a minute. Something true about all of us, as human beings, is that we are glory-chasers and pleasure-seekers. This means we all want to matter and we all want to be happy. I know that about you. We all have this desire, this void, this thirst, and we can't help but try to fill it. That's what we're all doing, all the time, but the problem is that left to ourselves, we try to satisfy that thirst with everything but God. And this is not only misguided, it's evil. That's the way the Bible talks about it. The prophet Jeremiah says, Jeremiah 2:12, Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the Lord, 13 for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:12–13)Do you see? In our sin, we reject God, we abandon him, but then we go looking everywhere else for the satisfaction only he can provide. And we don't just do this one time, but over and over again. Every time we sin we are looking for the God we've forsaken. It's been said that when the young man rings the doorbell at a brothel he's actually looking for God. So what doorbells are you ringing? Where are you letting your thirst take you?I ask this for Christians and non-Christians. How badly do you want the approval of man? Do you crave relationships at all costs? Do you compromise conviction for thrills?Think about this, and I want you to imagine that in the middle of all of it, in the middle of everywhere you might be searching, Jesus is there and he stands up.In the noise of the crowd and the silence of your room, in the pressure of your work and the ache of your heart, in the high places of success and the low places of failure — Jesus stands up in that and he says over all those things, “If you thirst come to me. Come to me and drink.”Let's hear him. And then give him your thirst … right now. If you've never put your faith in Jesus, you can do that now. Just tell him.I don't wanna thirst anymore. I'm done with this search. Jesus, I believe in you. I rest in you. That is the invitation of our passage today. Give Jesus a hearing; give Jesus your thirst; and here is #3 — give Jesus to others. 3. Give Jesus to others. This is the verse 38. Jesus says that whoever believes in him, as the Scripture has said, “Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”And right away, we should just name it. This is not what we would maybe want Jesus to say. We might think something else would fit better, something like:Believe in me and live happily ever after! — wouldn't that be nice?!Believe in me and your house won't burn, your wife won't get cancer, your children won't be sick … Believe in me and you won't be condemned — and that's true, Jesus has said that — but here he says if you believe in him, it's not about what you get but what you can give. You will have living water flowing out of your heart! And John adds in verse 39 a little clue for us: Jesus is talking about the Holy Spirit. Everyone who believes in Jesus will receive the Holy Spirit. Jesus will say a lot more about the Spirit in Chapter 14, but I'll go ahead and tell you one thing he says: he says the Holy Spirit is God the Father and God the Son making their home in you (John 14:13). The Holy Spirit is the love of the triune God poured into your heart — and how do you think that looks?Stagnant Pond or Flowing River?This summer my family spent a few days at my parents' house in North Carolina. They live in the country: fields, woods, paths, and ponds. And there's this big pond tucked way down out of sight. You go down this path, past an old house, deep into the woods, and then suddenly there's an opening and there it is. It's a big pond (probably called a lake in Minnesota). It's named after my great-grandfather. And it used to be the place to go. It had a sandy beach and they built a tall diving board — 50 years ago my mom and her friends would hang out there. But you'd never know that now. It's been inactive for years, and it shows. The edges of the pond is covered in green algae, the surface is spooky still, mosquitoes rule the place. The water looks dead and you've seen water like that before — now is that your heart? Is your heart more like a stagnant pond or is it like a river? …The Holy Spirit makes one kind of heart. Saved to GiveJesus says that the one who believes in him, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water! So he satisfies you and then he pours out through you into the lives of others. Now what does that mean? How does that look?How does the Spirit in us affect the way we relate to others? We know it must mean the fruit of the Spirit! The Spirit makes us people of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness , faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The Spirit produces all of those things in our hearts in our relationships with others, but really, ultimately, the Spirit in us means that we give Jesus to people. That's what we're trying to do.Jesus has given us himself to be shared. He has poured his Spirit into our lives to flow through us into the lives of others. We get more of him so that others get him through us! Don't you want to live that way?! We're just a conduit of God's grace for others!Look, God doesn't save you for yourself — he saves you for his glory and your good — and your good is realized not in your getting, but in your giving!And church, some of you need to hear that because you think you don't have anything to give. You've been fooled or discouraged into thinking your heart is a stagnant pond, but it's not. Not according to Jesus. Christian, you have the Holy Spirit. Let today be the day God stirs anew the living water in your heart. Hey, it's a busy time of year. It's the end of one season and beginning of another — and there's a lot of excitement in the air. We start school tomorrow. And church, for this new season, let's ask God for a fresh filling of his Spirit! That's what we need! For his glory and our good! Here's how we respond to the buzz about Jesus in Chapter 7: Give Jesus a hearing.Give Jesus your thirst.And by his Spirit flowing in us, give Jesus to others. And we come to this Table in that hope.The TableThis Table is about receiving — we receive Jesus and his fellowship, and remember all that he's done for us in his life, death, and resurrected life. But we don't receive him to stop here. We receive him and then overflow!

A Sermon for St. Bartholomew's Day Acts 5:12-16 by William Klock St. Bartholomew the Apostle.  He's pretty much a mystery.  As far as the New Testament goes, Matthew, Mark, and Luke list him as one of the twelve.  Beyond that, we have nothing.  His name, Bar tholomais probably means “son of Tolomai”, but it may actually be his given name since when Matthew, Mark, and Luke want to refer to someone as “son of So-and-so” they use the Greek way of doing it not the Aramaic “bar So-and-so”.  Since John never mentions Bartholomew, but does mention Nathanael, some think that the two are the same.  I don't find the argument very convincing.  Various stories and legends describe him going off to evangelise India or Pontus or Armenia, amongst other places.  When I consider sources and dates, I think the story of him taking the gospel to India is probably the most likely.  Almost without a doubt he was martyred for proclaiming Jesus the Messiah—probably flayed and maybe then beheaded.  He was an apostle—one of Jesus' hand-picked messengers sent to herald the good news—so what we can confidently say is that that's exactly what he did and that he probably died, very painfully, for the sake of his Lord. But since there are no scripture passages that tell us about him, our Epistle and Gospel today are simply passages that tell us about the apostles in general.  So with that, I'd like to look at our Epistle —Acts 5:12-16.  Here's, again, what Luke writes: Many signs and wonders were done by the hands of the apostles amongst the people.  They were all together in Solomon's Porch.  None of the others dared to join them, though the people spoke highly of them.  But more people, a crowd of both men and women, believed the Lord and were added to their number.  They used to bring the sick into the streets and place them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on them as he went by.  Crowds gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing people who were sick or troubled by unclean spirits.  All of them were healed.   One Saturday morning back in my computer tech days I found a woman sitting in her car outside the door when I showed up to open the store.  She was from out of town and afraid that if she waited to call until we were open, there wouldn't be time to fix her computer the same day.  So she just showed up.  And she had a box of doughnuts by way of apology—or bribe—really a little of both.  So I got to work on the computer and the doughnuts while she watched and talked to me.  They were really good doughnuts and I told her and she told me she'd made them herself.  In fact, she owned a little doughnut shop in a tourist town an hour away.  And she told me how she got started.  There was only one place in town that sold doughnuts, but they didn't make them.  Their doughnuts were delivered from the city and were a day old—at least—by the time they were served.  She opened up a little place in a converted camping trailer selling doughnuts and coffee to the tourists, but the coffee shop that had been there forever had a corner on the coffee and doughnut market, plus a primo location to catch the tourists.  She was about to call it quits, when the owner of the garden shop across the street from the coffee shop came to see her.  The garden shop and the coffee shop were in some kind of spat and the owner of the garden shop decided to invite this woman to park her trailer in their parking lot.  See, the tourist industry there was all about tulips.  People would come to see the tulips and the reason that old coffee shop was in such a good location was because the place across the street—the garden shop—sold tulip bulbs from the local growers.  People came to see the tulips, then they went to the garden shop to buy bulbs, and finally ended up across the street for coffee and doughnuts.  But coffee and doughnuts in the parking lot of the garden shop was more convenient than coffee and doughnuts across the street.  It helped that her doughnuts were better and that they were fresh.  So pretty soon all the people were crowding around her trailer for doughnuts instead of going to the old mainstay across the street.  And, of course, the coffee shop owner wasn't happy.  He went to the town council and tried to have “mobile restaurants” banned from town—an early version of today's restauranteurs trying to ban competition from food trucks.  It didn't work and this woman who'd brought her computer in eventually won the doughnut war. That's a bit like what's going on in Acts 5.  Pay attention to the fact that this is Acts 5.  This is right at the beginning of the story.  These are the days and weeks just after Pentecost.  And if Peter and James and John had gone back home to Galilee and done these signs and wonders, they would have drawn crowds just like Jesus had done there, but being so far away from Jerusalem, they probably wouldn't have drawn the ire of the Jewish religious authorities.  The Pharisees, of course, were always there scowling and scolding, but the Pharisees weren't the gatekeepers.  They were just a popular interest group.  But Peter and the other apostles didn't go back to Galilee.  They stayed right in Jerusalem.  Not only that, but Luke writes that they were meeting together in Solomon's Porch.  Solomon's Porch was a great colonnade on the eastern side of the outer court of the temple.  So the apostles would go to the temple to worship, but they would also spend their days gathered together, preaching, and doing signs and wonders in the outer court.  This was where all the people were coming and going and it was probably near the house where the serving priests lived.  It was a busy place.  The temple wasn't a church, but what the apostles were doing would be a bit like coming to church and then hanging out afterward on the front porch or in the rectory garden.  And the crowds would gather.  Some of them stopped to listen or to be healed on their way to or from the temple proper, but many people were coming just to hear the teaching of the apostles.  Many people were coming, just like they'd come to Jesus, because they'd heard that Peter and the others were casting out demons, giving sight to the blind, and healing the lame.  And I fully expect that Peter was repeating several times a day the same thing he preached on Pentecost—about Jesus fulfilling the promises of the old covenant and making a new and better one. They'd set up a doughnut stand right in front of the established coffee shop that had been there forever.  And they were selling delicious, fresh doughnuts while the coffee shop was still trying to sell day-olds delivered yesterday.  So you can understand that this raised the ire of the Jewish authorities.  The apostles weren't just tweaking the noses of some Pharisees in backwater villages.  They were—you might say—stealing customers from the religious authorities and doing so right on their front porch. And let's talk about the healings that were happening, because I've noticed that we're very, very, very, very prone to taking passages like this out of context.  It's not just that the apostles were working a multitude of healing miracles.  It gets pretty weird.  Luke says that people would even lay out their sick loved ones just so Peter's shadow would fall on them and they'd be healed.  Every last one of them, Luke seems to be saying, was healed.  The part about Peter's shadow seems kind of over-the-top.  I can't help but think of various medieval stories of people being healed by the relics of saints or people stealing Baby Jesus' diapers off Mary's washline and being healed by them.  And yet Peter's shadow isn't the only weird thing like this in Acts that we might be tempted to doubt.  Luke also tells us later in Acts that people would take Paul's handkerchiefs and use them to heal the sick. And there are people today who think that stuff like this should be the norm always and everywhere.  There are scammers sending out vials of holy water or oil as a cure-all and televangelists who will wave their jackets at a line-up of people and claim they've been healed.  And if you don't experience miracles like this in your own life or in your own church, well, they'll shame you and tell you that you lack faith.  A few weeks ago someone sent me some commentary about a new “worship” song that came out of one of those sorts of places.  The song calls for revival and courage and strength and faith, which are all good things and all things the church today often lacks, but then the heart of the song is a prayer for a new Pentecost.  They don't see the sort of miraculous happenings today that we see in Acts 5 and they think that what we need is another Pentecost.  What they're saying is that the modern church—or at least mainstream churches that don't do the things they claim to do—lack the Holy Spirit.  And I cringed.  That's no different than saying that because some Christians still walk in sin, we need Jesus to die again.  No.  A thousand times, no!  Just like Jesus death and resurrection, Pentecost has already happened.  It was a one-time event.  We don't need another one.  What we need is to live as the people, as the community, as the church born that day when God poured out his Spirit.  And, in some cases, we need to read scripture better so that we don't set unrealistic expectations.  Remember, Brothers and Sisters, miracles are acts of God, not acts of men and women.  If God wants us to see miracles, nothing is going to stop him.  If he could act through a pagan prophet like Balaam, he can act through even the most lukewarm Christian.  Maybe the problem is that we've misunderstood what God was doing through the apostles in the book of Acts. Remember that context is everything, so let's look at this story about the apostles in context.  When Jesus had risen from the grave a few week earlier, he inaugurated God's new creation.  He was the firstborn of the resurrection.  God's new life went out like a shockwave from the empty tomb on Easter.  And that new life, that new creation met the disciples of Jesus on Pentecost.  And God wanted it be clear, he wanted the world to see that in Jesus and in this new covenant people who identified with Jesus, his kingdom, his new creation was being born.  And so, first with Jesus and then with the apostles and those first believers, God did amazing things so that no one would or could mistake what was happening.  Remember the people in the gospels, people like Nicodemus who said to Jesus, “No one can do the things you do unless he's from God.”  Jesus' signs and wonders validated his messiahship.  And now, as we get into Acts, we see that God wanted to make sure that when those first Christians started telling people the good news that Jesus had risen from the dead and that new creation had begun, they had his witness, they had these signs and wonders to go along with their preaching and their actions. But it's wouldn't be like that forever.  Miracles would stop being noteworthy if they happened all the time.  We really need to pay attention to the big biblical story here.  Miracles aren't a common thing in that story.  They cluster around the times when God does something new.  Think of the exodus from Egypt.  The biggest cluster of miracles in the Old Testament is found in the Exodus: from the burning bush, to the plagues sent on Egypt, to the parting of the Red Sea and the drowning of Pharaoh's army, to the water from the rock and the manna in the wilderness.  But it doesn't stop there.  That generation knew miracles like no other.  They saw the Lord in the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire, leading them to the promised land.  They knew the bronze serpent Moses raised up.  They knew the miraculous battles won for them by the Lord.  And when they marched into Canaan, the Lord dried up the Jordan.  He won their battles and toppled cities like Jericho.  And it happened so that Israel would powerfully know his goodness and his glory and then pass that knowledge to future generations.  And, too, the Lord did these thing so that the nations would take note.  The God of Israel is powerful and glorious and cares for his people.  He's unlike any other god.  But then take note: those future generations were expected to know the goodness and the faithfulness and glory of God, not through ongoing daily miracles, but through the witness of their fathers and through the scriptures.  And, too, each new generation bore in its flesh the sign of circumcision, the sign of God's covenant with them and of his faithfulness.  And every year the families of Israel gathered together and ate the Passover and participated themselves in the glorious events of the Exodus.  The Lord took his people from the witness of miracles to the witness of what we might call the common means of grace.  Miracles convinced a people who didn't know the Lord to trust and obey him.  But the covenant people who then knew him, who lived with him in their midst, who had his word, who bore his covenant sign and ate his covenant meal—they didn't need miracles to know the Lord was worthy of their trust and obedience. And, Brothers and Sisters, the Lord followed exactly this pattern in the new exodus.  Jesus' ministry and then the ministry of the apostles were full of the miraculous.  Jesus himself and then the Spirit are the evidence of God's goodness and faithfulness and glory, but as Jesus led his people—not this time into Canaan, but into his new creation—he made that new creation manifestly real as he made all the sad things of this world become untrue, as he undid the real-world consequences of sin and death and as he showed how he had defeated the devils at the cross. In the book of Acts God shows the world very dramatically what the church is—that it is the beachhead of his kingdom, his new creation in the world.  His church is the new covenant community, the temple in which he now dwells, the steward of both his Spirit and his gospel who will spread his new creation wherever it—wherever they—wherever we—go.  Acts is about God's formation of his new people. Consider that the passage just before our Epistle today is the story of Ananias and Sapphira.  It's telling that people will think miraculous healings should be everyday occurrences, but I've never heard anyone suggest that God striking down people who lie to the church should be just as ordinary.  If it were, we'd have a lot of dead faith-healers.  But we shouldn't expect that to happen.  The Lord only needed to strike down a couple like Ananias and Sapphira once.  The point isn't that this is what happens to people who lie to the church.  The point is that this one frightening miracle should—and I think it has—reverberated down through the generations with the message that God expects holiness of his people.  Acts 5 begins with that call to holiness and it makes it very plain that a church that lacks holiness, even if it isn't literally struck dead, will die.  Jesus will take away its lampstand.  We've seen that through history and we see it today.  So, after establishing that holiness is an essential characteristic of the people of God (and not, that's what much of Exodus is about as well), Chapter 5 then continues with these signs and wonders done by the apostles to back up their proclamation that in Jesus new creation has begun.  Again, the church doesn't ordinarily need miracles to show God's new creation.  We show the world God's new creation as we live the fruit of the Spirit, as we bring the reconciling power of the gospel to broken people and broken relationships, and as we work to bring things like mercy and justice and life to a sin-broken world.  But in those early days, the Jewish authorities could say that's just what they were already doing.  So God gave better doughnuts to the apostles. And that's then followed by the arrest of the apostles by the temple authorities.  They were angry because they'd set up a doughnut shop on their front porch and were stealing their customers.  Just as they'd crucified Jesus to say, “He's not really the Messiah,” they have Peter and the others arrested to send the message, “Despite their miracles, these men are frauds.  Don't believe them when they claim to be a new temple.  That's blasphemy!”  But do you remember what happened?  That night as the apostles sat in their jail cells an angel appeared, set them free, and sent them back to the temple court to keep preaching the gospel.  The next day the priests met to decide what to do with the apostles.  They sent for them to be brought from the jail and that's when the guards reported they were gone.  And that's when someone came running into the council chamber saying, “Look!  The guys you arrested and put in prison are right now in the temple preaching.” It's God, again, backing up his newly established church with miracles.  When he raised Jesus from the dead, he overturned the false verdict of Pilate and the Jews and this time he overturned the false verdict of the priests and validates the good news Peter was preaching.  And the apostles took it to heart.  They kept preaching and preaching and preaching—in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and eventually to the world—and all but John were martyred.  They were killed for their faithful proclamation of Jesus.  But they knew the same God who had raised Jesus from the dead would one day raise them.  Death had no more power over them than the demons or sickness or prison doors.  And their story was told through the generations of Christians to come: to Christians in Rome, to Christians in pagan nations, to Christians living under Communism, to Christian missionaries who gave their lives to proclaim to the good news to hostile people.  They didn't need to experience miracles first hand.  Just as Isreal knew the stories of the first exodus from Egypt, these Christian brothers and sisters knew the stories of the second exodus from sin and death.  And as Israel bore God's covenant sign of circumcision and celebrated the Passover and remembered God's goodness and faithfulness and glory, so those Christians bore themselves the sign of baptism and celebrated the Lord's Supper and not only knew the goodness and faithfulness and glory of God, but they also knew—as we should too—that we are the embodiment of God's new creation, we are the stewards of his Spirit and his gospel, we are the beachhead of God's new creation.  Miracles or not, what we need to remember is that the power to defeat the enemies of God is the power of his gospel and the power of his Spirit.  It always has been and it always will be. Let's pray: O almighty and eternal God, who gave your apostle Saint Bartholomew grace truly to believe and to preach your Word: Grant that your Church may love that Word, and both preach and receive it; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

In this episode, Jesus' encounter with Nicodemus reminds us that Jesus has come to bring real life to all who will believe!