Podcasts about Nicodemus

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

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.

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.

Today we are looking at Nicodemus. From the jaws of defeat, God will rescue anyone. But unless you are born again you won't find the kingdom of God. You won't be in a relationship with Jesus. Did you accept Jesus or reject him.

Julia Roberts und George Clooney gehören seit Jahrzehnten zur A-Liga in Hollywood. Dabei ist es ihnen gelungen, sich von ihren ikonischen Rollen in "Pretty Woman" und "Emergency Room" zu lösen. Doch das ist nicht das einzige Geheimnis ihres Erfolges. Nicodemus, Katja www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de, Vollbild

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

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

Why did Jesus come to the world?

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!

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

The Church Street Podcast: The Bullpen Episode Title: Jesus the Teacher Where every voice gets a turn at the mic. At First Grapevine, we're blessed with three gifted preachers—but not every voice is heard every Sunday. That's why we created The Bullpen: a space for emerging voices to offer fresh perspectives and deep spiritual insight. In this soul-stirring episode, Dr. Keva Green and Sandy Robinson reflect on John 3:1–17, exploring the powerful conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. Together, they unpack what it means to see Jesus as Teacher—one who challenges, guides, and leads us toward deeper faith. “No one can see the Kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit... 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 3:5,16 We're so glad you're here. Let's keep growing together—in truth, grace, and community.

Nicodemus, Katja www.deutschlandfunk.de, Kultur heute

Some of the most well-known verses in the Bible are found in John 3. Besides John 3:16, there is the story of Jesus talking with Nicodemus about being born again. In this study, Evangelist Gavin Williams examines the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus to better understand the full scope of God's plan for us through Jesus.

Send us a textThe stunning truth of God's sovereign election cuts through centuries of misunderstanding in this powerful, scripture-rich exploration. When Jesus prayed "I pray for them, but I do not pray for the world," He revealed a fundamental distinction that many Christians struggle to accept: Christ's intercession has always been specifically for those the Father gave Him.We tackle the most common objections head-on, including the true meaning of "world" in John 3:16 (hint: Jesus was expanding Nicodemus' Jewish-only understanding of salvation) and the often-misunderstood term "whosoever." By examining passages like Joel 2:32 and John 1:12-13, we discover that those who come to faith do so not by their own will but because they were "born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."This teaching transforms our understanding of salvation in profound ways. When we realize we didn't choose our physical birth and likewise didn't choose our spiritual rebirth, we're humbled in the best possible way. As one panelist powerfully puts it: "If I believe that I chose God, who does that glorify but me?" True worship begins when we recognize God's initiative in our salvation.For many, this represents a paradigm shift. But those who embrace this biblical truth discover something remarkable—the Scriptures open up as never before. Gone is the tension of trying to reconcile man-centered salvation with God's sovereignty. In its place stands the breathtaking reality that from before the foundation of the world, God set His love upon His people.Whether you're encountering these concepts for the first time or have long embraced the doctrines of grace, this discussion will deepen your appreciation for God's mercy and strengthen your confidence in His promises. After all, a God who chose you before you chose Him will certainly complete the good work He began in you.Support the show

This week, Pastor Phil unpacks Paul's words in Galatians about freedom and what it means to live by the Spirit instead of falling back into performance or rule-keeping. He draws on Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, showing how the Spirit is like the wind—unseen, unpredictable, but always present. Living in the Spirit isn't about striving harder or checking religious boxes. It's about awakening to God's presence, opening our spiritual eyes and ears, and letting His love shape our lives.

In this powerful message, Pastor Nana takes us deep into the heart of our identity as God's children. Beginning from Genesis, he reminds us that while we are all created by God, there is a greater invitation: to be spiritually birthed into His family through faith in Jesus Christ.Drawing from the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, the message unveils what it means to be born of the Spirit—a transformation that brings the very life of God within us. Pastor Nana unpacks the freedom of knowing we are forgiven, not condemned, and eternally loved by the Father.From there, he gives us three keys to live as true children of God:Practice the love of God by personalizing His love daily.Continue in the Word as spiritual nourishment and strength.Live victoriously by the Spirit with faith and perseverance, even through life's challenges.This sermon will encourage you to walk boldly as God's beloved child, grounded in His love, strengthened by His Spirit, and confident that greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.✨ Be blessed as you listen—and remember: you are forever a child of God.

Speaker: Simon Wardle // Date: Sunday 17 August 2025 // Scripture: John 3:1-12

Asst. Pastor Melvin Gaines Worship Service Message - Sunday, August 17, 2025 We're going to camp out in John Chapter 3 and focus on not just one truth pertaining to the gospel, but two truths that require equal attention for the person who desires to have fellowship with Jesus Christ. These two truths are declarations in the Word of God and they are absolutes. My prayer is that everyone within the sound of my voice takes these truths and weighs them out for their own consumption in making a conclusion.

Asst. Pastor Melvin Gaines Worship Service Message - Sunday, August 17, 2025

Nicodemus, Katja www.deutschlandfunk.de, Kultur heute

Welcome to another crazy episode of Grounded! We aren't quite sure what was in the coffee this morning, but the guys sure were in rare form for today's podcast. Listen in as they recap their past week, catch up on the upcoming week and then break down this past week's sermon on Nicodemus. Thanks for listening and have a great week!

Dive into the inaugural episode of Biblically Literate with Jon Rhoades, Children and Family Minister at First Christian Church in Brazil, Indiana! In this eye-opening Bible study, we tackle the famous "gospel in a nutshell" verse, John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." Discover the shocking context with Nicodemus the Pharisee, the mystery of being born again, born of water and the Spirit, and the deep connection to baptism, spiritual rebirth, and Old Testament prophecies like Ezekiel 36 and Numbers 21 with Moses lifting up the serpent.Jon breaks down key themes: Flesh vs. Spirit, Jesus' unique authority, the inclusivity of salvation for all humanity (not just Jews), sacrificial love, faith as a response to God's grace (Ephesians 2:8-9), and why some prefer darkness over light. We explore church history, early Christian interpretations, the Nicene Creed, and debates on whether belief is a work or a gift. Plus, insights on perishing vs. eternal life, and how Jesus fulfills the Old Testament without "unhitching" from it.Perfect for anyone seeking to become more biblically literate, combat false teachings, and trust Scripture over experiences. New episodes drop every Tuesday, with FCC Talk on Fridays. Watch on the Biblically Literate YouTube channel for scripture visuals, or catch other podcasts on the First Christian Church channel. Sermon notes attached below!If you have verses or passages for future exegesis, email Jon at jrhoades@fccbrazil.org. Subscribe now for weekly Bible deep dives, and let's grow in faith together! #John316 #BornAgain #BibleStudy #EternalLife #ChristianPodcast #BiblicallyLiterate #FirstChristianChurch #JonRhoades #Gospel #Salvation #Faith #Grace #Exegesis #SpiritualRebirth #Nicodemus #Baptism #OldTestament #JesusChrist

In John 7:37–52, Jesus stands and cries out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” It's a bold invitation—urgent, clear, and life-changing. In this message, we walk through five scenes: the plotting of the religious leaders, the invitation to the thirsty, the division in the crowd, the arrest that never happens, and the pride-filled rejection of the Pharisees. Along the way, we meet Nicodemus, a man whose quiet questions and cautious words remind us that God often works slowly in drawing people to Himself. This passage confronts us with a choice: Will we scoff in pride, stand undecided, or come thirsty to the only One who satisfies?

Join us again this week for another sermon on the Gospel of John, continuing with chapter 7 verses 40-52. We look at how the examples of the Pharisees and Nicodemus illustrate how Jesus both divides and transforms people.

The Story of NicodemusThe story of Nicodemus, the secret disciple. What do you risk to follow Jesus?

John 3:16 ESV16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. • • •1. Spiritual life is the work of the Holy Spirit. • • •John 3:1-8 ESV1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered 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.” • • •2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. • • •2. Salvation comes through faith in Jesus. • • •John 3:9-17ESV9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. • • •Ezekiel 36:25-27 ESV25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. • • •Numbers 21:5-9 ESV5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” 6 Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. 7 And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live. • • •3. The effect of being born again is seen on earth and in heaven. • • •John 3:18-21 ESV18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 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. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” • • •1 John 1:5-10 ESV5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. • • •Application:But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.John 1:12-13

What if understanding one biblical word could change everything about your relationship with God? In the comic strip Peanuts, Lucy fears a thunderstorm might flood the world, but Linus reassures her by explaining God's promise to Noah and the rainbow as a guarantee. Lucy says Linus has really reassured her, and Linus says, “Sound theology has a way of doing that.” Indeed, the church desperately needs sound theology today, especially about salvation—what the entire Bible is all about. In our “Lost in Translation” series, we're defining key biblical words that many Christians don't really understand. Today's topic emerges in Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, a highly religious Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council, to whom Jesus delivered a shocking message: “You must be born again.” This conversation reveals where salvation begins—with regeneration, the miracle where God gives spiritually dead people spiritual life.

We're so excited to welcome back Sally Gary as our final guest speaker during our Summer Mixtape! She will be preaching the story of Nicodemus' encounter with Jesus and how we are called to courageously follow Christ no matter what comes our way.We live-stream every Sunday at 9:30am CT. If you'd like to connect with Restore, go to www.restoreaustin.org/connect.

What if being religious isn't the answer? Most people think following Jesus is about being good, trying harder, or doing all the right spiritual things. But that's not what Jesus taught. In a late-night encounter with a religious leader named Nicodemus, Jesus flips everything upside down with one bold truth: you don't need a better version of yourself—you need a brand new you. Whether you've walked away from religion, feel stuck in guilt, or wonder if God could ever accept you, this message is for you. Jesus' invitation isn't about self-improvement—it's about starting over. Not by trying harder, but by letting God make you new from the inside out.   Clips from The Chosen are used with permission from Come & See Productions

Do you ever feel like something's missing—like you're living, but not really alive? What if the change you need isn't external, but a total rebirth from within? In this episode, we unpack the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus in John 3:1–15, where Jesus introduces the life-altering concept of being born again. It's not about being better behaved or more religious — it's about receiving new life through Jesus Christ. We're reminded that salvation isn't earned; it's given — through the cleansing work of the Spirit and the righteousness of Christ. Like the wind, God's Spirit moves freely and powerfully, inviting us into a life of deep transformation and bold faith. Have you experienced that kind of new beginning?

In this episode we take a look at Nicodemus and what we can learn from him about whether or not we are open to the Lord correcting wrong beliefs we have.Other episodes referenced in this one:Episode 24: The GospelEpisode 116: How to learn for yourself what God is really like (What is God like? part 12)Scriptures referenced:John 3:1-10Matthew 23:1-7Matthew 15:7-9Matthew 23:25-28John 5:39-40John 7:32, 45-52Micah 5:2John 19:38-42James 4:6Matthew 23:12Matthew 4:4Matthew 5:17-20John 10:35Feel free to email the podcast at ijustwanttotalkabout@gmail.com, and we will respond as soon as we are able!I WANT TO BE DISCIPLEDI am on staff with another ministry called Mentoring Men for the Master (M3). M3 is a discipleship ministry; so, if you are interested in being discipled and having someone come alongside you to invest in you and your walk with Jesus, or if you would like to do this in someone else's life, feel free to email us at info@mentoringmen.net. You can also check out M3's website by clicking "I want to be discipled". Also note that despite the ministry's name, M3 disciples both men and women; so, the offer is open to all!I WANT TO SIGN UP FOR THE NEWSLETTERIf you would like to sign up to receive newsletter updates, simply click "I want to sign up for the newsletter" and fill out the form. Also, feel free to check out our most recent newsletter.I WANT TO SUPPORT THE PODCASTIf you feel so led, you can support the podcast by clicking "I want to support the podcast". I Just Want to Talk about the Bible is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which means that any donations made are tax-deductible. Thank you so much for giving as the Lord leads!...

Follow the Wind by Megan J. Conner explores how the Holy Spirit often moves like the wind—subtle, powerful, and unseen. Through a vivid moment on a quiet balcony overlooking the ocean, Megan reflects on Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus in John 3:8 and encourages us to embrace the evidence of God’s presence, even when we can’t physically see it. This devotional invites listeners to deepen their faith walk, embrace spiritual discernment, and trust God’s guidance—even when the path isn’t clear. Highlights Reflecting on the invisible but undeniable movement of the Holy Spirit A faith-building reminder that God leads us even when we can’t see the full picture Encouragement to take a personal inventory of areas where faith feels strong versus where doubt creeps in Scripture focus: “The wind blows where it wishes…” – John 3:8 Practical prayer prompt and journaling activity to strengthen your trust in God Join the Conversation Have you ever felt the quiet nudge of the Spirit or seen God’s hand guiding you when the road ahead was unclear? Share your experience and tag @LifeAudioNetwork using #FaithInTheUnseen. We’d love to hear how you’re following the wind.

The Gospel of John Week 5 Scripture: John 3:1-14, Ezekiel 36:25-27, Numbers 21:5-9, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 2 Kings 18:4, Mark 1:14. Today's class explores the story of Nicodemus. Nicodemus is a Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin Council.  Pharisees were a group Jesus often had harsh criticism for.  They are all about religion and following rules, and about what they do instead of what God has done and having a relationship with Him. Nicodemus acknowledges Jesus is a teacher come from God because of the miracles there have been and Jesus responds, “No one can see the Kingdom of God unless they are born again from above.” Born again is something God does individually in each person. Nicodemus replies with how does one do that? And Jesus goes on to say we must be born of water and the Spirit. Ezekiel 36:25-27 “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”  Jesus is saying what the prophets have said all along - it is now coming true - A New Covenant - the time of the New Covenant has come and Jesus is saying He's bringing it! God Himself washes us clean and pours out His Spirit on us and gives us a new heart. He changes us from religion to a relationship with God that endures forever.  Nicodemus was a Pharisee - he was into religion - but not relationship with God. Jesus is calling Nicodemus to take his eyes off himself and put his eyes on God and take his eyes off his own accomplishments and put his eye on the Messiah who is going to deliver, redeem, restore and renew. Jesus is breaking Nicodemus' paradigm. It's not what we do, it's what God does! Jesus goes on to say, “so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” Jesus is saying He will be lifted up and all who look to Him will be saves.  He's saying we need a Savior and that Savior is Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Jesus goes on to speak these marvelous words, “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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 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. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 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.”  The Light shows us for what we are - hypocrites- looking good on the outside but inside we are dead. But now the Son has come and He's come not to condemn us but to save us! To redeem us!   When we live by the Truth - we come into the Light.  Jesus is calling Nicodemus to set aside what he has always believed and instead yield himself totally to the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is breaking into Nicodemus' life and He wants to break into our lives too! To give us a new heart and to pour out His Spirit into us. Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01     ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels.      ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before. Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

3:22 - Were the Crusades right? / 8:10 - What was on Moses' tablets? / 9:26 - What do you think of the California bill to allow illegal immigrants to hold lower office? / 16:14 - Why did Jesus give different answers to Nicodemus and the rich young ruler? / 30:53 - Are you a believer the moment you're saved? / 38:06 - Can arminianism and calvinism agree? / 53:33 - When are we judged?

This weekend, we're exploring the journey of Nicodemus, whose "shrouded faith" transformed from private questioning to public defense and generous honoring of Jesus, illustrating the path of true discipleship.Join us next weekend at The Branch Church and invite your friends and family!Find out what's going on at The Branch here: https://thebranch.org/eventsTo support this ministry, click here — https://rb.gy/rc53uxDownload Our App – http://thebranch.org/appCheck In — https://rb.gy/htq0qySermon Notes —https://notes.subsplash.com/fill-in/view?page=ryEogWlwglSermon-Based Bible Study — https://thebranch.org/studyRequest Prayer — http://thebranch.org/prayerLike and SUBSCRIBE on YouTube — https://rb.gy/atpff4Like and Follow on Vimeo — https://rebrand.ly/d1ibt93Website — https://thebranch.org/Facebook — https://rb.gy/m4vhz6Instagram — https://rb.gy/p8g1blTwitter — https://rb.gy/xiwg68YouTube — https://rb.gy/icv7x2

This weekend, we're exploring the journey of Nicodemus, whose "shrouded faith" transformed from private questioning to public defense and generous honoring of Jesus, illustrating the path of true discipleship.Join us next weekend at The Branch Church and invite your friends and family!Find out what's going on at The Branch here: https://thebranch.org/eventsTo support this ministry, click here — https://rb.gy/rc53uxDownload Our App – http://thebranch.org/appCheck In — https://rb.gy/htq0qySermon Notes —https://notes.subsplash.com/fill-in/view?page=ryEogWlwglSermon-Based Bible Study — https://thebranch.org/studyRequest Prayer — http://thebranch.org/prayerLike and SUBSCRIBE on YouTube — https://rb.gy/atpff4Like and Follow on Vimeo — https://rebrand.ly/d1ibt93Website — https://thebranch.org/Facebook — https://rb.gy/m4vhz6Instagram — https://rb.gy/p8g1blTwitter — https://rb.gy/xiwg68YouTube — https://rb.gy/icv7x2

Nicodemus had climbed the ladder of religious success—mastering the Scriptures, meticulously following the rules, achieving status—only to discover that none of those efforts mattered to God. He came to Jesus expecting affirmation, but instead, Jesus dismantled his entire system with one staggering truth: Unless you are born again from above, you will never get into […]

Rev. Pete Jackson preaches on John 3:1-15 in his sermon “Jesus and Nicodemus”.

Renunciation: The word has certain connotations that are often tied to deprivation or unhappiness. What we find in the writings of the great ascetics, St. Isaac especially, is something quite different; the weaning of ourselves from the things that we are attached to in the world in order to become more attached to God, to what endures and fills the soul with consolation and strength.  For example, we are called to embrace the practice of vigils, to rise during the night to pray and thereby humbling the mind and the body. Yet Isaac does not see this as costly but rather as restorative and promising consolation in times of trial and affliction. It is in silence, often deepest during the night and free of distraction, that we are able to listen to God and receive what he desires to give us.  Likewise, we are to persevere in spiritual reading while we dwell in stillness. We let go of the hectic pace of society and the busyness into which we often thrust ourselves in order to taste the sweetness of the wisdom of the scriptures and the fathers. Perhaps more challenging, we are told that we are to love poverty. We are to willingly let go of material goods and radically simplify our lives. In doing so, Isaac tells us, the mind remains collected and is secured from wandering. We often become anxious about our worldly security and protecting what ilwe have come to possess. We become driven to spend more time focused on the things of this world than we are pursuing the life of virtue and prayer. In a similar vein, Isaac tells us to detest superfluity so that our thoughts might remain untroubled. Again, filling our lives with things, activities, work or social engagements steals from us solitude and the silence that is born from it. Surrounded constantly by the noise and the affairs of the world we begin to experience intense anxiety and depression seeing only the presence of chaos and violence that makes one question reality and the value and purpose of life.  Part of the beauty of reading the desert fathers is that they reveal to us the beauty and the dignity of the human person made in the image and likeness of God and redeemed by the blood of Christ.  Their lives and their writings fill the heart with hope in a dark world and set the soul on fire to to embrace what has been promised us by our Lord. To God be the glory unto ages of ages. Amen. --- Text of chat during the group:  00:04:19 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 143, first short paragraph, 6 00:12:49 cameron: The names again please 00:14:56 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 143, first short paragraph, 6 00:14:59 cameron: Monk and monastery 00:15:13 cameron: Thank you. 00:20:52 Myles Davidson: Replying to "P. 143, first short ..." “Honor the work of vigil…” 00:21:55 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 143, first short paragraph, 6 00:32:20 James Hickman: For years I've found myself waking up against my will, then over the years (more recently, and not always!) seeing it as a gift. But when I have an icon on my wall, I find it a grace when I lay there awake in bed and make simple prayer of the heart, simple acts. This seems valuable. I'll be ok to hear if there's more expected than this. Objectivity is desired here. Work in progress here. 00:33:05 David: I have a prayer book that has a Greek orthodox evening prayer and in the ending it says "we sing to you in the night- Holy, holy holy are you oh God, through the prayers of the Theotokos have mercy on me". Is this a practice when one begins a vigil? When I do wake I always try to say it but was not sure if it is something formal in vigils? 00:35:59 Jessica Imanaka: Several Trappist monks I know have said they don't need as much as sleep as medical science dictates. The deceased abbot used to say that prayer reduces the physical need for sleep. Whenever I go on retreat, praying the full office, I just can't sleep as much. My body doesn't want to. 00:36:13 Anthony: On waking up at night....some people say 3am is the devil's hour, so it's advisable to pray then.  I think that gives way too much focus on the devil's? Or is this real Christian tradition? 00:40:58 Myles Davidson: The noonday devil was a desert father thing 00:41:11 Nicholas B. Besachio: What does St. Issac say about demonic attacks on Faith. 00:41:26 Rebecca Thérèse: Christ died on the cross at 3pm so Satanists say a black mass at 3am, that's why some people refer to it as the devil's hour 00:42:30 Bob Čihák, AZ: Catholic apologist Jimmy Akin did a Mysterious World session # 98 on “Sleep” which I found helpful. Cf. http://jimmyakin.com/ . 00:43:45 Thomas: I have heard priests say not to pretend to be monks what do they mean by this, because we should imitate them 00:46:06 Una: Reacted to "Catholic apologist..." with

The Spirit is like the wind. Had Jesus stopped with this comment, Nicodemus would have had plenty to ponder. Yet...

On one side, Nicodemus, representing all well-meaning, God-fearing, scripture-memorizing folk. On the other, Jesus Christ. And what the latter says...