AMEN NEMA Studying the Amen Amen Sayings of

AMEN NEMA Studying the “Amen, Amen” Sayings of Jesus NEMA

AMEN NEMA “Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 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. ” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. ” “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!”

AMEN NEMA “Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again. ’ 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. ” ““How can this be? ” Nicodemus asked. “You are Israel’s teacher, ” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 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.

AMEN NEMA “I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. ” 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. ” - John 3: 1 -17

AMEN NEMA

AMEN NEMA • Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin, came to Jesus, revealing his amazement at the signs and wonders He was performing. • Rather than directly addressing Nicodemus’ comments about His signs, Jesus delivered our first “amen, amen” statement of the day - “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again”. • Jesus was prepared for Nicodemus extreme literalism and was ready to transition Nicodemus to deep, spiritual truth over the course of this passage.

AMEN • • The phrase we see translated as “born again” is made up of two words, the first meaning “to be born” and the second meaning “anew, again, from above, or from a higher place”. In a general sense, Jesus uses this phrase to suggest that a new beginning is needed for participation in the kingdom of heaven. NEMA

AMEN NEMA • “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit”. • The complete phrase “born of water and Spirit” explains the concept of being born again. John 3: 3 John 3: 5 Introduction Kingdom Comment Birth Requirement … born again Very truly I tell you … … no one can see the kingdom of God … … no one can enter the … born of water kingdom of God … and Spirit

AMEN NEMA • “You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again …You are Israel’s teacher and do you not understand these things? ” (John 3: 7, 10) • Jesus’ assertion that Nicodemus should know what He is speaking about as a teacher of Israel means that very likely an explanation is available in the pages of the Old Testament. • Where in the Old Testament are the ideas of water, Spirit and new beginnings/rebirth found?

AMEN NEMA • “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 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. ” (Ezekiel 36: 25 -27) • Through Ezekiel, God revealed that a time was coming for a transformative new beginning, involving a spectacular cleansing from sin, symbolized by water that washes away all impurities and idols, and by powerful Spirit of God in people, which results in a transformation of the hearts of people.

AMEN NEMA • Nicodemus was not unaware of this Messianic prophecy; he just failed to associate it with Jesus. • The issue here lies with Nicodemus’ view of Jesus’ identity and the source of this understanding. • Jesus revealed to Nicodemus that without this new heart/new spirit transformation offered by God to His people through the Messiah, not only would the kingdom of heaven remain unseen and barred to them, but they would also remain trapped in fleshly, earthly realities.

AMEN NEMA • “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”. • One need not read too far between the lines to see that Jesus is claiming to be the one who came from heaven, the Son of Man, who can clearly speak of heavenly realities from personal experience. • As the Son of Man, the one connecting heaven and earth, Jesus is able to clearly carry communication from God to humanity and it is through Him and through His words that we see Christ for who He is and are born again.

AMEN NEMA • There is a divine aspect to faith, a movement by God and responded to by humanity that initiates belief and the reality of being born again. • The answer to the question of how does one recognize Jesus for who He is, is that this recognition begins with a humble response of faith to a prompting of God in our lives. Once we see Christ for who He is, we can then better apprehend His word to us, recognizing our need to be “born again” or “born of spirit and water” and growing in our understanding of His mission.

AMEN NEMA • The reality at the centre of Jesus’ statements in this passage is that nothing we’ve ever done contributes to salvation; entrance into His eternal kingdom occurs by beginning fresh, starting again, through a second birth. • Our first consideration ought to be to ask if we too have been born again, made alive in Christ; have we recognized our dead-ness in sin and, by faith, accepted the new life available in Jesus Christ? • Is God revealing to you today your need for salvation and new life?

AMEN NEMA • For those of us who have already following Jesus, we ought to consider if there are yet still things we have done that we are holding on to that we think qualify us for salvation and entrance into Christ’s kingdom. • If we answer that question affirmatively, we must ask what impact this makes in our living. • Are we as Romans 6: 13 directs, those who “offer [ourselves] to God as those who have been brought from death to life”? • Are we living differently because of Jesus, because of our new birth?

AMEN Might we be a born again people, not fulfilling the negative stereotypes associated with that term, but those who truly live a new life offered in thanksgiving to God. Might we be willing to set aside all the religious accolades we have accumulated and begin again in Christ Jesus. Might we humbly recognize Jesus for who He is and follow Him in humility and obedience. NEMA