Podcasts about Nicodemus

Two secret followers of Jesus — afraid their whole lives — finally stepped into the light at the foot of the Cross. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were powerful members of the Jewish council who believed in Jesus but kept it hidden out of fear. After Jesus died, something changed: Joseph boldly asked Pontius Pilate for Jesus's body, and together the two men wrapped Him in linen and spices and laid Him in Joseph's own tomb — the first public, costly act of faith either man had ever made. "Something broke open inside them." ⭐Want to keep living Joseph and Nicodemus's story after the episode ends?  Grab our free Every Day's a Feast Day calendar and get every saint and every challenge delivered, so your family can follow along together: https://shop.catholicsprouts.com/pages/every-days-a-feast-day-follow-along  

Friends of the Rosary,In the Gospel today (Luke 4:16-30), Jesus, while facing resistance from his own townspeople, announces His mission: good news to the poor, freedom to captives, sight to the blind, and liberty for the oppressed.We are invited to receive Jesus as He truly comes, not only as we expect Him to come. God's word may challenge familiar ideas, but it also brings freedom, healing, and truth.Meanwhile, Saint Paul, in the first reading (1 Corinthians 2:1-5) reminds us that faith does not rest on clever words or human wisdom, but on the power of God. The Psalm teaches love for God's commands, not as a burden, but as wisdom and guidance.As a prayer for today, we ask Lord Jesus to open our hearts to His word. Help us trust not in human wisdom, but in His power. Give us humility to receive Him, courage to follow Him, and love for His commands.Also today, the Roman Martyrology commemorates Saints Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, who showed courage and devotion to Christ after His death.Joseph, a "noble counselor" and disciple of the Lord, awaiting the kingdom of God, went to Pilate to ask for Jesus' body. Nicodemus, who once came to Christ secretly, now came openly, bringing myrrh and aloes. He was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin, which was the ruling body of the Jews. He came to Jesus at night asking questions about his mission. In the presence of the Sanhedrin, who wanted to seize Jesus, Nicodemus defended his cause. They are mentioned in the Gospels.They received the dead body of Jesus, deposited from the cross, wrapped it in linen, and placed it in a tomb owned by Joseph. Together, they offered Christ a dignified burial, acting out of love when others had withdrawn in fear. Their actions, though simple in appearance, were precious before God and became part of the path to the Resurrection.Their example teaches that love for Christ must move us to act with courage and faith, even when it is difficult or uncertain. Like them, we are called to bring what we have to Christ and serve Him with humility, trusting that He receives every offering and fills it with His grace.Ave Maria!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• ⁠August 31, 2026, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

In this sermon, Pastor Scott preaches from John 3:16. God's greatest invitation to us is a love, intimate relationship with Him. We take a look at two stories in the Bible where we see this truth played out: the story of Nicodemus and the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman. Through their stories, we learn that no matter who you are, what you've done, or where you came from, the God of the universe wants a relationship with you! Check out this sermon to learn more!

Full Text of Readings Monday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 431 The Saint of the day is Saints Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus Saints Joseph of Arimathea's and Nicodemus' Story The actions of these two influential Jewish leaders give insight into the charismatic power of Jesus and his teachings—and the risks that could be involved in following him. Joseph was a respected, wealthy civic leader who had become a disciple of Jesus. Following the death of Jesus, Joseph obtained Jesus' body from Pilate, wrapped it in fine linen and buried it. For these reasons, Joseph is considered the patron saint of funeral directors and pallbearers. More important is the courage Joseph showed in asking Pilate for Jesus' body. Jesus was a condemned criminal who had been publicly executed. According to some legends, Joseph was punished and imprisoned for such a bold act. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and, like Joseph, an important first-century Jew. We know from John's Gospel that Nicodemus went to Jesus at night—secretly—to better understand his teachings about the kingdom. Later, he spoke up for Jesus at the time of his arrest and assisted in Jesus' burial. We know little else about Nicodemus. Reflection Celebrating these two contemporaries of Jesus who played significant roles in Jesus' life, reminds us of the humanity of Jesus and how he related to his fellow men and women. His gentleness to these two and his acceptance of their help remind us that he treats us in the same gentle way.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Ask, Believe, Dream Bigger: The Greater Things Jesus Promised – John 14:12–14 In Episode 149 of Divine Table Talk, Jamie and Jane slow down and dive into just three powerful verses—John 14:12–14—where Jesus makes an astonishing promise about faith, prayer, and the “greater works” His followers will do. What did Jesus mean when He said, “Whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these”? And what do we do with His invitation to “ask me for anything in my name”? Together, Jamie and Jane explore the difference between dreaming with God and simply asking Him to bless our plans. They talk about bold prayers, surrendered dreams, expectations, and what it means to believe that God can accomplish more through our lives than we could ever manufacture on our own. Maybe we've been praying too safely. Maybe we've allowed disappointment to shrink what we're willing to ask God for. John 14 invites us to believe again, ask boldly, dream with God—and remember that ultimately, it is all for the glory of the Father. Reflection Question: Have I allowed fear, disappointment, or past unanswered prayers to make my prayers smaller—and what might God be inviting me to ask Him for again? ____________________________________ Connect with Jamie: Website: www.jamieklusacek.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamieklusacek Connect with Jane: Website: www.janewwilliams.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janewwilliams

In Ancient Roots of Life #49, JT and Josh continue digging into one of the most overlooked biblical concepts: the ages.If Scripture speaks about ages before us, the end of the ages in the apostolic generation, and ages still to come, have we misunderstood what phrases like “the end of the world” actually mean?We examine Ephesians, Hebrews, Corinthians, Genesis 1 and Job 38, asking what may have existed before the world was prepared for mankind and whether the sons of God were already present when the foundations of the earth were laid.Then we turn to Revelation 12 and challenge the traditional idea that Satan and one-third of the angels were cast from heaven before Adam. Could Revelation 12 instead describe events connected directly to Christ's birth, ascension and the first-century tribulation?We also examine the Olivet Discourse, AD 70 and the common argument for “dual fulfillment” before continuing our study of the Gospel of Nicodemus / Acts of Pilate. That text brings us into Pilate's trial of Jesus, accusations that Christ was a sorcerer, Nicodemus defending His miracles, Jannes and Jambres, and eventually a fascinating discussion about Hades, Tartarus and the biblical underworld.This one connects Genesis, Revelation, Greek mythology, apocryphal literature and the words of Jesus in ways you may not have considered before. Topics include:Biblical ages and eons • Genesis 1 • Job 38 • sons of God • Satan's fall • Revelation 12 • AD 70 • Olivet Discourse • dual fulfillment • Gospel of Nicodemus • Acts of Pilate • Jannes and Jambres • Hades • Tartarus • Greek mythology • the biblical underworldBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jt-s-mix-tape--6579902/support.Please support our sponsor Modern Roots Life: https://modernrootslife.com/?bg_ref=rVWsBoOfcFPatreon: https://patreon.com/JT_Follows_JC?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLinkJESUS SAID THERE WOULD BE HATERS: https://jtfollowsjc.com/product-category/mens-shirts/JT's Hats: https://jtfollowsjc.com/product-category/hats/Coaching Program: https://www.echoesoftruthnetwork.com/joinTelegram Group: https://t.me/jtsmixtapeNew Trucker Hat: https://www.shopmmca.com/shop/p/jt-follows-jc-hat

John 3:1-4Matt's book, The Lightning-Fast Field Guide to the Bible is available NOW! - here's a link that gets TMBH a little kickback: https://amzn.to/4pEYSS9Thanks to everyone who supports TMBH at patreon.com/thetmbhpodcastYou're the reason we can all do this together!Discuss the episode hereMusic by Jeff Foote

Hit with a dinner plate?! Idolizing women. Lust: It's not you. Calloway ad apology. No charges in self-defense. RIP Sean Grayson. Viral neighbor dispute. LSU black doll

John 3Matt's book, The Lightning-Fast Field Guide to the Bible is available NOW! - here's a link that gets TMBH a little kickback: https://amzn.to/4pEYSS9Thanks to everyone who supports TMBH at patreon.com/thetmbhpodcastYou're the reason we can all do this together!Discuss the episode hereMusic by Jeff Foote

John 2Matt's book, The Lightning-Fast Field Guide to the Bible is available NOW! - here's a link that gets TMBH a little kickback: https://amzn.to/4pEYSS9Thanks to everyone who supports TMBH at patreon.com/thetmbhpodcastYou're the reason we can all do this together!Discuss the episode hereMusic by Jeff Foote

Nicodemus found out about being born again.  Pastor Al Dagel is thankful for that explanation of salvation!

Encounters with Jesus, Nicodemus: Matt Metzger | August 16, 2026

Leave behind the lights of the city, and you can see the night sky like never before. As your eyes adjust, pupils opening wide, even the faintest light of the most distant stars begins to sparkle. The dark helps you see the light. But not always. In John 3, Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night, and the darkness in him is so great, it's impossible for him to see the light. He doesn't just need new or better eyes though, he needs to be transformed completely. He must be born again. A new life that comes only through death. John 3:1-15 shows us how Jesus, the light of life, drives out the darkness, that we might have new life in him.

Troubled World, Untroubled Heart: Trusting Jesus When Life Feels Uncertain – John 14:1–11 In Episode 147 of Divine Table Talk, Jamie and Jane step into John 14:1–11, where Jesus speaks some of His most comforting words to His disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” Jesus knows what is coming. The disciples are facing uncertainty, confusion, and fear—yet He doesn't promise them an easy road. Instead, He gives them something greater: Himself. Together, Jamie and Jane unpack what it means to have an untroubled heart in a troubled world, why trusting God doesn't require understanding everything He's doing, and the hope found in Jesus' declaration: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” When the world feels uncertain, our circumstances don't have to determine the condition of our hearts. Jesus invites us to trust Him, know the Father through Him, and find peace in the promise that He is preparing the way. If your heart has felt anxious, overwhelmed, or uncertain about what's ahead, John 14 is an invitation to remember who Jesus is—and why you can trust Him. What is troubling my heart right now—and what would change if I trusted Jesus with it instead of trying to control the outcome? ____________________________________ Connect with Jamie: Website: www.jamieklusacek.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamieklusacek Connect with Jane: Website: www.janewwilliams.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janewwilliams

Send us a message!We celebrate the 500th episode by reading John's greatest hits across the Gospel of John, 1 John, and Revelation. We connect the Word made flesh to new birth, honest confession, and a future where God's light ends the night. • John's prologue and Jesus as the eternal Word and light • Nicodemus, being born from above, and the Spirit's wind-like work • John 3:16 in context, love that saves rather than condemns • God as light, walking in truth, and confession that leads to cleansing • Revelation's new city, water of life, tree of life, and Jesus' closing promise  At outloudbible.com, you can find free resources to help you study the Bible. And while you're there, send us a message to say hi, or start a conversation about having us at your church or event. If Outloud Bible has been a valuable part of your understanding of the Bible, please consider supporting the ministry by visiting outloudbible.com.Support the showCheck out outloudbible.com for helpful study resources, and to discover how to bring the public reading of God's word to your church, conference, retreat, or other event.

On this episode of The Integrated Life Podcast, Diana Romero shares why The Chosen has become much more than a television series for her family—it has become a catalyst for deeper faith, richer Bible study, and a more personal understanding of Jesus. Journey through some of the most moving moments from Seasons 1–5 as Diana explores the biblical stories behind her favorite episodes, including Peter's calling, Nicodemus' encounter with Jesus, the healing of the woman who bled for 12 years, the feeding of the five thousand, the faith of the Roman centurion, the Triumphal Entry, and Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane. Rather than simply reviewing the series, Diana reflects on how these powerful portrayals have drawn her back into Scripture, helped her better understand the humanity and divinity of Christ, and strengthened her commitment to live out the Great Commission. Whether you're already a devoted fan of The Chosen or you've been hesitant to watch it, this episode will encourage you to approach it with an open Bible, an open heart, and a desire to know Jesus more deeply.

Is there more to life than this? Why do I feel stuck, no matter how hard I try? Jesus is the Answer to what we can't fix ourselves. Join us as we walk through Nicodemus' late-night conversation with Jesus in John 3, uncovering what every person needs, what we can't achieve on our own, and what Jesus freely gives to anyone who believes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if following Jesus was a lot less about feeling certain and clear, and more about trust? Let’s talk about it. This is the audio podcast.

The Temple Comes to Samaria Acts 8:4-25 by William Klock Remember back in Chapter 5, when Peter and John were arrested and brought before the priests and elders, and Gamaliel, one of the leading Pharisees, told his fellow council members: “Leave them alone.  If what they're doing is of human origin, it will come to ruin.  But if it's from God, you won't be able to stop them.  You might even be found to be fighting against God.”  They let Peter and John go that day, but since then they haven't been heeding Gamaliel's advice.  They stoned Stephen.  And at the end of last week's text Luke told us that Saul of Tarsus was going house to house, dragging men and women to prison and that, while the apostles remained in Jerusalem, everyone else was scattered through Jerusalem and Samaria.  And it turns out Gamaliel was right.  Neither Saul nor anyone else could stop what God was doing.  This new temple, not made with hands, not made of bricks and mortar, but instead of people, purified by the blood of Jesus and indwelt themselves by God's Spirit, this temple was going to fill the earth.  Persecution won't stop it.  Just the opposite, in fact.  Luke writes in Acts 8:4 [Page 1089 in the pew Bibles]: “Those who were scattered went all over the place announcing the word.”  These were people who knew, first hand, the transforming power of the gospel.  Many of them had been eyewitnesses to the risen Jesus.  They had seen signs and wonders, done by Jesus and then done by the apostles.  They knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that God was at work and Israel's hopes were being fulfilled.  There was no stopping them.  If they had to flee Jerusalem, so much the better.  Now the good news about Jesus would be proclaimed all over the place.  Think back to Stephen's speech before the Sanhedrin and how he'd highlighted how God works through rejection and persecution.  Joseph's brothers had sold him as a slave, but through their evil God delivered his people.  Ditto with Moses.  Pharaoh wanted all the baby boys of the Hebrews drowned, so Moses' mother put him in a basket and Providence floated him down the river right to Pharaoh's daughter.  And Jesus, the supreme example: The forces of evil and death rose up to do their worst in killing Jesus, but in doing so they played right into God's hands.  They concentrated themselves all in one place, in one great act, allowing Jesus to rise from death to conquer them.  So Saul of Tarsus, threatening the church?  God's going to use that to—to get the gospel out of Jerusalem, to all of Judaea—and even to Samaria. So Philip.  You remember Philip?  He was one of the seven in Chapter 6, whom the church chose and laid hands on to do the work that was taking the apostles away from their prayer and preaching.  Stephen was another of them.  When the church calls people and lays hands on them and commissions them to be servants of the gospel, there's no telling where that may lead.  So “Philip,” says Luke in verse 5, “went off to a town in Samaria and announced the Messiah to them.” I suspect no one would have thought—or wanted—to take the gospel to Samaria—at least not for a long time—even though Jesus had said that his church would take the gospel there.  But in the context of Acts, I think Luke wants to stress that even more than taking the gospel to Samaria, what Philip is doing is taking the temple there.  And that's pretty significant.  Samaria was the piece of land between the two Jewish territories, between Judaea in the south and Galilee in the north.  The Samaritans were the people who had lived there while the Jews were off in exile in Babylon.  We don't really know for certain the origins of the Samaritans.  They claimed—and they still claim, as they're still there to this day—that they're the descendants of what was left of the northern Israelite tribes after the nation was destroyed by the Assyrians.  The Jews claimed that the Samaritans were the people resettled in the land by the Babylonians after they'd sent the Jewish people into exile.  There's probably some truth to both.  Whatever the case, the Samaritans followed their own form of Judaism.  They had their own version of the torah, of the first five books of the Old Testament.  They rejected the Prophets and other books.  They looked forward to their own version of the Messiah.  They called him the Ta'eb or “The Returner”—the prophet Moses promised would come.  But maybe what's most important in the context of Acts, was that the Samaritans had their own temple on Mt. Gerizim.  The Jews would never let them anywhere near the temple in Jerusalem—they weren't real Jews and they had corrupted Israelite religion—but even if the Jews allowed them into the temple, the Samaritans would never go there.  As far as they were concerned, theirs was the real temple.  The Samaritans were a people utterly without God's presence. And now Philip finds his way there and carries the for real real temple to a people who didn't even know the old one.  And when God's temple arrives in Samaria, the people can't help but notice.  Verse 6: “The crowds, acting as one, clung to what Philip was saying, as they heard him and saw the signs he performed.  For unclean spirits came out of many of them, and several who were paralyzed or lame were cured.  So there was great joy in that town.” “But there was a man named Simon, who had lived in the town for some while and who practiced magic. He used to astonish the Samaritan people, giving out that he was some great personage.  Everyone, small and great alike, paid attention to him, and said, “This man is the one called ‘God's Great Power'!”  [Luke might be hinting that the people thought of Simon as maybe being the Ta'eb, the Samaritan “Messiah”.] They had been under his spell for some time, since they were amazed at the magic he could perform.  But when they believed Philip as he was announcing to them the message about God's kingdom and the name of Jesus the Messiah, they were baptized, men and women alike.  Simon too believed and was baptized, paying close attention to Philip.  When he saw signs, and great and powerful deeds, it was his turn to be astonished.” The devil was doing one thing in Judaea in a futile attempt to quash the gospel.  He was doing something else to the same end in Samaria.  He'd been doing it for a long time, leading the Samaritans away from God's torah and God's temple.  Now there's this man, Simon, who has enchanted these Samaritans with his magic.  Maybe it was just sleight of hand magic, but the way Luke, throughout Acts, contrasts magic with the power of the Holy Spirit, it seems like Simon actually did have some kind of power and if that power wasn't from God, it was coming from demonic forces of some kind.  That's just the sort of thing the devil would do to lead people astray.  But Philip, empowered by God's Spirit, it's obvious to everyone—even to Simon—his power was different and it was far superior.  Seeing it, these people believed the good news about Jesus that Philip was proclaiming.  And they did what believers do: they were baptised.  Like Israel following God through the Red Sea and into the promised land, in faith these Samaritan followed Jesus through the waters of baptism and into God's new creation. Samaritans embracing and giving their allegiance to Jesus may not seem like a big deal to us, but it was a really big deal to everyone involved.  Again, Samaritans and Jews didn't mix.  Even though Jesus had said that his disciples would take the good news to Samaria, they had no plan to go there—and probably little or no desire to.  But God had a plan to get them there, and when Philip does end up in Samaria, he doesn't let that hold him back.  It's pretty clear that these early believers thought of the gospel as something for Jews, but—hey—if gentiles came to them and wanted in, if Samaritans heard and believed, that was great.  They saw God at work in these people, even if these people weren't their evangelistic priority. And yet, something odd happens.  These Samaritans hear the gospel, see God at work, they believe, they're baptised, but there's something missing.  I suspect Philip noticed it immediately and sent word back to Jerusalem—excited on one hand, but concerned on the other.  Verse 14: “When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received God's word, they sent Peter and John to them.  When they arrived, they prayed for them, asking that they would receive the Holy Spirit, since up to that point the Spirit had come upon none of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.  Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.” Like I said, something was missing.  The Spirit was clearly at work.  Faith in Jesus is a gift of the Spirit and no one comes to Jesus without the Spirit first moving in the heart.  But so far in Acts, when people believed and were baptised, they all had some kind of experience of being transformed by the Spirit  They were obviously different.  The Spirit did a work of new creation in them.  And they typically—and immediately—displayed supernatural gifts.  Some prophesied, some healed, some spoke in other languages, and so on.  Whenever we see God doing something new in the story of redemption, it's usually got miracles clustered all around it and we see this no less in the early days of the church.  Bringing Samaritans to Jesus was very much something new.  But this time the miracles didn't happen.  I expect Philip was surprised.  What was wrong?  So he sent word to Jerusalem and Peter and John decided to go see for themselves.  And, sure enough, something was missing.  These people had believed, but the Spirit—God—hadn't yet come to live in them  They were not yet part of the new temple. I don't know if Peter and John understood everything at this point.  I suspect that they just recognised that these new believers were lacking the indwelling Spirit.  It was weird and inexplicable at the time.  And so Peter and John just did the only thing that made sense: they laid their hands on these people and prayed that God would give them his Spirit.  And God did.  Luke doesn't say how it was obvious, but it was apparently obvious that the Spirit had filled the Samaritans.  And I think as time passed, Peter and John and the others started to figure out what God was doing in withholding the very thing—I should say, the very person—who fulfils God's promises to dwell with his people.  By the time Luke wrote, it all made perfect sense. You see, there was always a danger that the Samaritans would hear the gospel and believe, but that because of the divide between them and the Jews, the Samaritans would end up with a separate church of their own.  A lot of them would have been perfectly happy to have it that way and plenty of Jewish believers would no doubt be happy to have it that way.  But that would undermine the very gospel itself.  God doesn't have multiple people.  He has one.  With all our divisions in the church today, it's easy to forget this, but Jesus was clear: God has one people and one of the essentials of the gospel is that it heals the breaches, heals the divisions, heals the animosity between the people of the world.  We saw the first dramatic sign of this healing at Pentecost as the men there heard the gospel proclaimed in their own languages.  It was a dramatic reversal of the Tower of Babel episode.  And now it happens with the Samaritans.  God withholds his Spirit from them in order to get Peter and John to pray and lay hands on them and in that God makes it clear to everyone that they are all united in Jesus and the Spirit.  The apostles and the Jewish believers can't dismiss the Samaritan believers and neither can the Samaritans—with their long history of doing their own thing and having their own temple—neither can they act as if they have no need of or can be separate from the Jewish believers. We need to be careful we don't mistake Luke's point here.  We often read this passage at confirmations when the bishop lays hands on us and prays for us to be strengthened by the Holy Spirit.  But Luke wasn't thinking about confirmation.  Confirmation is a rite that developed centuries later.  Pentecostals and Charismatics use this passage to explain their experience, arguing that this passage proves that receiving the Holy Spirit is a second work of grace apart from baptism and conversion.  But that's not Luke's point either.  In fact, his point is that what happened with the Samaritans, with God withholding the Spirit, was unique—a one-off thing—that was necessary to ensure everyone knew that there is one church, one body and that our unity in diversity is one of the gospel's most powerful witnesses to God setting the human race to rights.  The whole thing that made this episode stand out was the delay in the Samaritans receiving the Holy Spirit, because the indwelling of the Spirit it not a second blessing or a second work of grace.  It's what happens when we believe and are baptised.  It's what makes us God's temple.  Jesus purifies us so that the Spirit can fill us. And then Simon the Magician. The gospel goes to a new place, but the same old problem comes up again.  In Jerusalem it was Ananias and Sapphira.  The devil crept in.  They let their love of money compromise the purity so essential to being God's temple.  They serve as a warning: Jesus purifies us so that we can be God's temple, but to remain God's temple requires continued purity.  And now the Samaritan believers their own warning about this.  Verse 18: “When Simon saw that the spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money.  “Give me this power too,” he said, “so that anyone I lay my hands on will receive the holy spirit.”  “May your silver die with you!” retorted Peter. “Did you really think that God's gift could be bought with money?  You have no part or share in this word!  Your heart is not straight before God.  So repent from this wickedness, and pray to the Lord.  Perhaps he will forgive the scheme you had in your heart.  I can see that you are still stuck in the bitter poison and chains of unrighteousness.”  “Pray to the Lord for me,” said Simon in reply, “that none of what you've said will happen to me.”  After Peter and John had finished bearing witness and speaking the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, announcing the good news to many Samaritan villages.” Simon liked the status his magic gave him.  And now he sees something really amazing, something that clearly and dramatically upstaged whatever it was that he was doing.  And Simon wanted it.  But it wasn't so much the Holy Spirit that Simon wanted.  Tricks were nice.  He'd been doing them for a long time.  But what Simon wanted was the ability to control people.  He didn't want the Holy Spirit.  He wanted what he thought Peter and John had: he wanted the ability to lay hands on people and to give them the Spirit. And in that, Simon was exposed.  It wasn't about Jesus for Simon.  It wasn't about being God's temple.  It wasn't about being purified by the cross.  It wasn't about being part of God's new creation.  Simon was still firmly part of the old.  He wanted to use and control people for his own personal gain and prestige.  His old magic had been upstaged.  No one would be impressed by it anymore.   But if he could be like Peter and John, if he could lay hands on people himself and impart the Spirit to them, well, then he's be back on top of things.  For those who read The Magician's Nephew this month, he's like Uncle Andrew, seeing a new world being miraculously born around him and new life sprouting from the ground, and all he can think of is bring bits of iron to plant so they can grow into factories and battleships to make him rich. He was blind.  He heard the gospel.  He heard the good news about Jesus.  He saw the life the Spirit in these people and he saw new creation being born.  But he wasn't interested any of it.  He just wanted to be in control.  He saw it as a way to get rich.  So he offers to buy this gift from Peter and John—as if it was theirs to sell.  As if it was their power to impart the Spirit. But Peter and John had no such power.  They didn't go around laying hands on people and giving them the Spirit any more than a modern-day Anglican bishop or Pentecostal evangelist does so.  This was a unique situation.  God gives the Spirit, not men, not preachers, not bishops, not even apostles.  This was simply a case in which it was necessary for both the Jews and the Samaritans to understand that they were one people in Jesus and the Spirit. The crazy thing is that we still see this sort of thing despite all the warnings in scripture.  There are far too many people out there, preachers—people calling themselves “apostles”—offering the Spirit or his gifts for money, as if those gifts are the work of human beings and not God.  I expect that when Simon asked Peter and John to sell him this gift—one they didn't even actually have—Peter immediately remembered Ananias and then Sapphira falling dead at his feet.  Because he knew, this false idea needed to die.  If allowed to fester, it would corrupt the church. And so he rebuked Simon—who, by God's mercy isn't struck dead on the spot.  “You're no believer, Simon.  You're still stuck in the bitter poison and chains of unrighteousness.” Luke tells us that Simon asked them to pray for him so that he wouldn't fall under God's judgement.  I have to wonder if they told him about Ananias and Sapphira and left him quaking in his boots.  Luke doesn't tell us what happened to him, whether he eventually understood and actually believed the gospel or not.  What Luke wants to stress here, what we shouldn't lose of, is that the Spirit is not under human control.  The Holy Spirit isn't magic.  Magic is the human attempt to manipulate God.  Humans have been trying to figure out ways to do that ever since our fall.  Magic treats God like a vending machine.  Push B5 to get this or push D2 to get that.  Say this spell, offer this sacrifice—follow the right formula and you can control the divine.  The so-called “Prosperity Gospel” is a modern version of this.  But you don't have to be into the Prosperity Gospel or the Word-Faith movement to be guilty of thinking you can control God.  When we bargain with God, we're doing the same thing.  We think that if we offer God this or that, we obligate him to give us something in return.  Brothers and Sisters, God's been teaching his people from the beginning that he doesn't work this way.  He's sovereign.  He sends his Spirit as a mighty rushing wind and, as Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Those who are born of that Spirit are blown along with it.”  Those who surrender themselves to Jesus and the Spirit are blown into purity, blown into holiness, blown into godliness, blown into ministry and blown into mission.  That's what Luke shows us in Acts.  Jesus purifies us, the Spirit fills, and in those acts God make us his living temple.  A temple through which he will make himself known and through which he will eventually fill the earth with his presence. In this morning's Collect we asked the Lord to teach to us to ask for the things that please him.  Brothers and Sisters, if we understand ourselves to be his temple, his working model of new creation in the midst of the old, I can hardly think of a better prayer.  It's a prayer very much like “on earth as in heaven”.  A prayer that sets aside our own agendas and ask for God to bring us into his.  I'd like to close praying that Collect again. Let your merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of your humble servants; and, that we may obtain what we ask of you, teach us to ask for those things that please you, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

John 3:1-8 (from the Archive)New Living Translation3 There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother's womb and be born again?”5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don't be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can't tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can't explain how people are born of the Spirit.”Music: "Rest in the Shadow" by Julian & Melissa Wiggins,Used with permission.

Faithful Through Betrayal: Love, Loyalty, and the New Commandment – John 13:18–38 In Episode 146 of Divine Table Talk, Jamie and Jane continue through John 13:18–38, where the final hours before the cross reveal both the beauty of Christ's love and the heartbreak of human failure. Jesus foretells Judas' betrayal, predicts Peter's denial, and gives His disciples a new commandment that will forever define His followers: "Love one another as I have loved you." Together, they explore how Jesus responded to betrayal with compassion, why our identity is rooted in Christ rather than our failures, and what it truly means to love others with the same grace we've received. Even in the face of rejection and abandonment, Jesus remained faithful to His mission—and He invites us to do the same. This episode is a powerful reminder that while people may disappoint us, Jesus never will. His love is stronger than betrayal, His grace is greater than our failures, and His call to love remains at the center of the Christian life. How can I reflect the love of Jesus toward someone who has hurt me, disappointed me, or failed me? ____________________________________ Connect with Jamie: Website: www.jamieklusacek.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamieklusacek Connect with Jane: Website: www.janewwilliams.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janewwilliams

Ancient Roots of Life Episode 48Many of the passages Christians know by heart sound very different when read from the Septuagint (LXX). In this episode JT and Josh continue their study through Scripture by examining: David's harsh prayers against his enemies Did David prophetically speak in the voice of Christ? Loving your enemies vs. God's judgment The Gospel of Nicodemus (Acts of Pilate) Genesis in the Septuagint The Firmament Paradise in Eden Noah and the clean animals Nimrod and the first kingdoms The Tower of Babel The Table of Nations The mystery of Genesis 6 Sons of God vs. Sethite theory Ancient geography Biblical chronology If you've never compared the Septuagint to modern Bible translations, you may be surprised by what you find.

Nicodemus, Katja www.deutschlandfunk.de, Kultur heute

Discipleship does not begin with self-improvement, moral effort, or religious sincerity—it begins with new birth. Jesus confronts Nicodemus with the truth that spiritual life cannot be achieved, inherited, or engineered. Apart from the Spirit's work, we are spiritually dead, even when we appear religious, busy, or sincere. A clear view of who we are apart from Christ exposes our need for rescue and reorients us to the One who alone gives life. The Gospel is not advice for the alive; it is resurrection for the dead.Support the show~ Changing lives with Jesus! Facebook | YouTubeInstagram @dscsienna

Can people really change? Many believe that with enough effort, education, social reform, or self-discipline, human nature can be improved. But Jesus offered a far more radical answer. In His conversation with Nicodemus in John 3, He declared: “You must be born again.” In this message, we explore the difference between turning over a new leaf and receiving a new life. Looking closely at Jesus' words, we consider the nature of the new birth, its necessity, its effects, and how it becomes a reality in a person's life. In this episode: Can human nature really be changed? What are the signs and results of this new life? What do repentance and faith have to do with the new birth? How can a person receive the new life that Jesus offers? The Bible Matters Podcast is funded entirely by the generous donations of its listeners. If you would like to become a financial partner with us on this journey, you can give to the project on this link: https://linktr.ee/BibleMatters   To contact us, email office@biblematters.org 

DESCRIPTIONBefore we get into "living water," where are we in John's Gospel?Why does John place this story immediately after Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus in John 3?What should we know about the relationship between Jews and Samaritans before reading this story?Support this show!! : https://www.bibspeak.com/#donateGrab your free gift: the top 10 most misunderstood Biblical verses: https://info.bibspeak.com/10-verses-clarifiedJoin the newsletter (I only send 2 emails a week): https://www.bibspeak.com/#newsletterShop Dwell L'abel 15% off using the discount code BIBSPEAK15 https://go.dwell-label.com/bibspeakDownload Logos Bible Software for your own personal study: http://logos.com/biblicallyspeakingSign up for Riverside: https://www.riverside.fm/?utm_campaig…Use Manychat to automate a quick DM! It's great for sending links fast.https://manychat.partnerlinks.io/nd14879vojabStan.Store—way better than Linktree! It lets me share links, grow my email list, and host all my podcast stuff in one place.https://join.stan.store/biblicallyspeakingSupport this show!! : https://www.bibspeak.com/#donate Dr. R. Chris Lohrstorfer is Vice President of Academic Affairs and Assistant Professor of Wesleyan Theology at Wesley Biblical Seminary. With more than 25 years of experience in Christian higher education, he has served as both a professor and academic administrator, specializing in Wesleyan theology, biblical interpretation, and ministerial formation. He has also spent decades in pastoral ministry, helping Christians connect biblical scholarship with everyday faith.Recommended resources from Dr. Chris Lohrstorfer:Learning to Breathe: Mastering the Art of Spiritual Respiration - by Dr. Chris Lohrstorferhttps://www.amazon.com/Learning-Breathe-Mastering-Spiritual-Respiration/dp/1987584090There's No Place Like Home by Dr. Chris Lohrstorferhttps://www.amazon.com/Theres-No-Place-Like-Home/dp/1533068801Surrendered: A 40 day devotional based on the Lenten Prayer of St. Ephrem by Dr. Chris Lohrstorferhttps://www.amazon.com/Surrendered-devotional-Lenten-Prayer-Ephrem/dp/154121322X

In John 3, Jesus tells Nicodemus that those who are born of the Spirit are like the wind—it blows wherever it pleases. We may hear its sound without knowing where it is coming from or where it is going. In this message, guest speaker Juliet Barber invites us to surrender again to the person and presence of the Holy Spirit. When God moves, He often challenges our expectations, confronts our comfort, and asks us to bend beneath the weight of His glory. Nicodemus could recognize the signs around Jesus, yet he still struggled to recognize who stood before him. In the same way, we can become so familiar with how we expect God to move that we risk missing the new thing He is doing. Every generation needs its own encounter with God. Are we willing to receive it in the way God chooses to bring it? Do we love the wind enough to let Him blow wherever He pleases?

Baptism is more than answering a list of questions, it's about becoming part of a new family. In John 3, Jesus challenges Nicodemus to rethink his categories, his assumptions, and his “us vs. them” mentality. Baptism is a new birth that breaks down barriers and expands our love. Join us as we celebrate those baptized over the last year and celebrate the grace offered to each one of us in the waters of baptism.

Born again. Two words most people have heard and very few have had explained in a way that actually makes sense. Jesus said it to Nicodemus — one of the most respected religious leaders of his time, a man who had God completely figured out by every external measure. And yet he showed up to find Jesus at night, alone, asking questions he wasn't supposed to need answered. Jesus told him: you need to be born again. Not reformed. Not improved. Born again — a complete transformation from the inside out that changes what you want, not just what you do. In this third episode of the Never Settle series, Mark Clark unpacks what that actually means and why it matters for anyone asking whether real faith is available to them. Never Settle is a four-week series from Connexus Church. New episodes every Sunday.  

Born again. Two words most people have heard and very few have had explained in a way that actually makes sense. Jesus said it to Nicodemus — one of the most respected religious leaders of his time, a man who had God completely figured out by every external measure. And yet he showed up to find Jesus at night, alone, asking questions he wasn't supposed to need answered. Jesus told him: you need to be born again. Not reformed. Not improved. Born again — a complete transformation from the inside out that changes what you want, not just what you do. In this third episode of the Never Settle series, Mark Clark unpacks what that actually means and why it matters for anyone asking whether real faith is available to them. Never Settle is a four-week series from Connexus Church. New episodes every Sunday.

The Towel and the Basin: The Heart of a Servant – John 13:1–17 In Episode 145 of Divine Table Talk, Jamie and Jane begin one of the most intimate and transformative sections of the Gospel of John. In John 13:1–17, Jesus—the King of kings—kneels to wash the feet of His disciples, revealing that true greatness in God's Kingdom is found in humble service. Together, they unpack the significance of this unforgettable moment, exploring what it means to love sacrificially, lead with humility, and serve others with the heart of Christ. Peter's struggle to accept Jesus' act of service also reminds us that following Jesus means learning both to receive His grace and to extend it to others. This episode is an invitation to exchange pride for humility, status for service, and self-centered living for the example Jesus modeled on the night before the cross. As followers of Christ, we're not just called to admire His example—we're called to live it. Who is Jesus inviting me to serve with humility this week, and am I willing to lay down my pride to love like He loved?____________________________________ Connect with Jamie: Website: www.jamieklusacek.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamieklusacek Connect with Jane: Website: www.janewwilliams.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janewwilliams

 Fear seems to be incompatible with joy!  Yet “fear” in the Bible often means a feeling of complete awe, being overwhelmed with feelings of astonishment at some event.  Now, how can you experience this – and have joy at the same time?  The answer is seen when you really put your minds to imagining the situation described in our Matthew reading (Ch. 28) today.  “Toward the dawn … Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb (of Jesus)” [v.1]       They (and it seems from the other Gospels that there was at least one other woman) got up in the middle of the night; their object was to embalm the body of their Lord, (Mark 16 v.1) their last opportunity to do so before it began to decompose. They probably did not know that Nicodemus had brought “a mixture of myrrh and aloes” [John 19 v.39] when they put the body into the tomb.          They get to the tomb and to their awe an angel is there and says to them, “Do not be afraid for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here, for he has risen, as he said.  Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead … so they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy” [Matt.28 v.5-8]  Can we enter into their feelings at least a little? Jesus met them “and they came up and took hold of his feet and worshipped him.” [v.9] The risen Lord is now their Lord in an even greater sense.  The women were the first to really believe – they had been among the women watching the crucifixion from a distance [ch. 27 v.55,56], they had been the ones willing to get up in the middle of the night, dress and with flickering burning “torches” wend their way to the garden in which was his tomb (John 19 v.41) and the dawn was just breaking as they arrived.    Our world is in deep spiritual darkness, but the dawn must be near. Are we awake and ready for our time “of fear and great joy”?  The inexpressible drama of the return of our Lord from heaven will totally confound the minds of everyone!  They cannot even begin to comprehend the nature of the experience of the time of trouble about to come.  It will be greater than anything ever seen on earth before!  At that time God's angels gather will his elect! (Matt. 24 v.31)  Dare you not believe?  What agonies of mind will all others experience.  Let us read and meditate on God's word as often as we can  “encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” [Heb 10 v.25]

This conversation I have with Misty Marascalco is one that surprised even me, because about an hour in, she saw something in the spirit she'd never seen before... all of us sitting at her table with Jesus. We get into how she went from a conservative upbringing where prayer was mostly "dump and run" to seeing visions, hearing Him speak identity over her, and now walking others through the same journey.Misty is the author of a book about her own path into hearing God through vision and imagination, and now leads inner healing and deliverance prayer with people all over the country.You can find her book here - https://www.just1grain.com/Here's what we explore:▪️How a movie about the crucifixion cracked open something a lifetime in church hadn't touched▪️Her first vision during worship, and the words that came with it: "you are a gate breaker"▪️The table encounter where Jesus began undoing a lifetime of lies about who she was▪️Why the same imagination the enemy can hijack is also the very place Jesus loves to meet you▪️How Scripture itself, Abraham, the Psalms, Jesus' parables, Nicodemus, is full of invitations to imagine▪️A live activation you can experience right along with us, picturing Jesus meeting you at a tableIf any of this stirs something in you, I'd love for you to sit with it. And if you want a simple, guided way to start listening for yourself, the Hearing God Challenge is a good next step... the link is below.

This message given by Martha Kate Hall emphasizes the importance of humility as the foundation of true wisdom, drawing from the Book of Proverbs and the example of Jesus. It explains that wisdom is not about knowing everything, but about remaining teachable and open to correction, contrasting the wise—who are humble and eager to learn—with the fool, who rejects instruction out of pride. The message highlights that pride, often subtle and sometimes even valued in society, can be spiritually destructive, leading to a refusal to depend on God and stunting personal growth. Using examples from everyday professions, the message illustrates that continual learning is essential in all areas of life, including faith. The lives of Nicodemus and Jesus are presented as models of humility, with Jesus' ultimate act of washing his disciples' feet serving as a powerful symbol. The message concludes by encouraging listeners to reflect on where pride may be hindering their growth and to actively seek humility, following Christ's example in their daily lives.

How many times have you delayed doing something because you didn't feel like you were quite ready? Or your finances weren't right? Or you were just too busy? The reality is that opportunities don't come when we're ready, but when God is. In the final week of "Comeback Stories," Pastor Jeremy DeLoach teaches us the importance of taking the next step through the journey of Nicodemus.

As Jesus' earthly ministry comes to its close, John's Gospel shifts our attention from the cross to two unlikely disciples who finally step into the light. Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus had once followed Christ cautiously, but the crucifixion became the moment that transformed fear into bold faith. In this message from John 19:31–42, we'll contrast the empty religion of hypocrisy with the sincere devotion of those who openly identify with Christ, explore the remarkable fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy in His death and burial, and be challenged to ask whether our lives are marked by hidden compromise or courageous allegiance to the Savior.

Pastor Mindy Wolfe talks about the story of Nicodemus and the idea of keeping the wheels moving even among turmoil.

Have you ever stumbled around in the dark looking for something—maybe for a light so you could see? The nighttime conversation Nicodemus had with Jesus presents a light to help all people see life from a new perspective. Jesus' challenge to Nicodemus also challenges each one of us to see the truth we easily miss in the shadows of our lives. This weekend, we're asking God to adjust our perspective to see his light of truth.Support the show

John 3:1-21: Nicodemus goes in the middle of the night to visit Jesus and what we find is a man who is changed forever by this encounter with His Lord.

Send us Fan MailJoin us as Pastor Garid teaches through The Gospel of John. This week, we look at the account of Jesus' meeting with Nicodemus and unpack one of the most famous passages of Scripture. May the Lord richly bless your day and time of study in His word. Website | https://visioncalvarychapel.com/Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/vision_calvarychapel/Subscribe | https://www.youtube.com/user/visioncitychurchFacebook | https://www.facebook.com/visioncitychurchTwitter | https://twitter.com/visionoc#visioncalvarychapel#visionformycity#garidbeeler

John 3:1-21 - Jesus and Nicodemus

Pastor Jordan is preaching on Hidden Friends in Hard Times as we continue our Acts of the Apostles series.

Our guest preacher (another Brit, The Rev. Alex Banfield Hicks) introduces our next witness: Nicodemus.Readings from this service:Ezekiel 36: 22-28Psalm 51: 7-10John 3: 1-8Thanks for listening! CONNECT with CCFC:Visit us on FacebookVisit our websiteDownload our app!

By Craig Scott - Nicodemus said " how can this happen"... what you are proposing is impossible... Jesus says this is what God is doing... He has told you all along... you should have known this... if not then you should be aware enough to accept what I am teaching right now which is based on scripture itself. Its

Death Leads to Life: The Way of Jesus – John 12:27–50 In Episode 143 of Divine Table Talk, Jamie and Jane explore the closing section of John 12, where Jesus begins preparing His followers for the reality of the cross. Through His powerful teaching about the grain of wheat that must die to produce life, Jesus reveals a kingdom principle that changes everything: death leads to life. Together, they unpack what it means to surrender our own plans, ambitions, and desires so that God can produce something greater through us. As Jesus calls people out of darkness and into His light, this passage challenges us to consider where we are resisting surrender and where God may be inviting us into deeper trust. This conversation is a reminder that what feels like loss in God's hands often becomes the very place where new life begins. What is God asking me to surrender today so that He can bring greater life through it tomorrow? ____________________________________ Connect with Jamie: Website: www.jamieklusacek.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamieklusacek Connect with Jane: Website: www.janewwilliams.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janewwilliams

What does it really mean to be born again? If we became a new creation in Christ, why do we still struggle with old thoughts, temptations, and weaknesses? Duane Sheriff explains, "When you get born again, you don't get a new body. You don't get a new soul or your mind, will, and emotions. You get a brand new spirit, and you're born of the Spirit."In Episode 2 of "Born Again, What Now?", Duane explores what Jesus meant when He told Nicodemus that we must be born of water and the Spirit. Drawing from John 3, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, and other key passages, he explains that salvation is the supernatural recreation of the human spirit. God removes our old, dead spirit and gives us a brand-new spirit, filled with His life and nature.2 Corinthians 5:17 declares that those who are in Christ are new creations. Discover what actually changed when you were born again, why understanding spirit, soul, and body is essential to spiritual growth, and how this foundational truth helps believers move from spiritual infancy to maturity in Christ.