The Gospel Series Part II
Mark 1:16-20 KJV — Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him. And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets. And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.
In these Perilous Times in which we are currently experiencing, we find it very hard to take someone at their word, follow the ideals they are propagating and allow them to lead the way. With the help of social media, celebrities and the mainstream news media, the experts and spiritual gurus seem to be flooding in overwhelmingly.
But how do we know if the “one” we have chosen to follow is what is advertised? “I know the way, I have the answer!” The claims are made, but we have to investigate and find out for ourselves.
Who was this man, Jesus? The word had gotten out about a charismatic teacher from Galilee. Multitudes were gathering and coming from all parts of Israel just to hear this “prophet” of God. Many have even claimed that He is the Messiah. Could this be so? Miracles are reported wherever this man goes. In a time of occupation and oppression by the Roman Empire, could this man be the great liberator that the prophets of old had foretold? After all, John the Baptist had proclaimed;
John 1:29-34 KJV — The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
What an extraordinary proclamation. Someone has to get to the bottom of this and learn the truth about this man from Nazareth. There was one determined to get answers.
John 3:1-8 KJV — There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 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. 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. 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? 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. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 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.
Nicodemus was intrigued and astonished by the answer. It was simple enough, but how can this happen? What must he do to achieve this? The answer he would receive would be the reason why Jesus was on Earth. A promise for all who accept and believe.
John 3:9-16 KJV — Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
To accept and believe in the Son of God was a totally different concept than what most jewish people had been taught about the coming Messiah. Nicodemus, Judas and others expected the Lord to set up His eternal kingdom, but somehow they must have missed the details concerning the reason for His first arrival. Jesus continued His conversation;
John 3:17-18 KJV — For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Since the early young days of attending Sunday school, John 3:16 is one of the most popular and memorized Bible verses. Hearing these words for the first time must have sent chills through Nicodemus. Jesus spoke in the third person reference, but it is very clear that it was about Himself. He also explained the purpose for His arrival. He then and now does not want to condemn anyone to eternal peril, but to promise everlasting peace and eternal life if only we receive and accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Are we looking for a way out of the darkness that surrounds us? The disciples and others like Nicodemus were searching for something better, a break from the oppression that had been upon them for such a long time. Our current environment may seem dire, but Jesus is asking us to follow Him. If we put our complete trust in God and His beloved Son, then the Light of God will guide us through the troubling sea and find the safe harbor within His presence.
John 3:19-21 KJV — And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
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