Nicodemus

John Chapter three
Nicodemos
Vs: 1-12


A ruler of the Jews, a teacher, came to Jesus at night, why? At night? well, probably so he wouldnt lose his respect and authority. A thought, any title in the passing world is attained because people have worked for it, so it holds honor, in mens eyes, but not necessarily in Gods,

Shakespear said,” All the worlds a stage and all the men and weomen merely players” Noone in the play wants to lose his major part, though fleeting, it took work and pluck to get it, and it could be lost or tarnished if word got out he was listening to a radical Rabbai.

When I was young I believed God would always win, he does of course, but without personal knowledge of the kingdom of God, godless society seemingly wins.The creeds and orders of obeyance in this passing world have hooks. To unhook them and be free, takes faith in the masters words. They must trump all realities of the incorrect beliefs or people around him will pocess, or more specifically hijack the luke warm christian faith; … .thus, “bad company corrupts good character”, and God told his people in the desert, “be separate”, in regards to the idolatry all around, Nicodemus felt this need to flee his faction of leaders, he did so under cover of darkeness

Imagine if Jesus never came, he would have slowly dried up and never found out who he was or what his legacy was. He would have remembered only his past,and in his old age,the crumbling structure of the law, and not everknown what his future in the kingdom of God was.

Jesus had mercy on him, and us, he advented himself to show show us new and exciting things Here on earht and glimpses of futures in heaven, things truly new, here, and in the kingdom to come,however,you must make a stand, you must break ties with the world..

Its not easy. A good reputation and human fellowship is pretty important and gives one a sense of accomplishment, (,if u dont know those who surround you are deceived), still, he also had authority as “a teacher”. Have u noticed how many people are lecturing others?….who... ?wha! whaa!! whaaat?...mm..mmm….. meeee? No, no, a thousand times noo.., Then again, hmm?well..., yes, I pray for his mercy, its not easy to see,this teacher thing, seems soo…. I repent!.

So we see “The ruler”, Nicodemus cloaked himself,and went at night, and made a secret rendevous to find out more about Jesus. Not satisfied with the Game, or authority, or image, he dreamed of something beyond the legalistic reality of his fraternity of rulers, he wanted more, He was breakin out.

Some of you might want to do the same. You may have a cozy lifestyle with nonbelievers or luke warm christians, but Life is short, come with me? Theres a guy in this place that can help us get out

We can be happy here, and in the kingdom of God after, many who made this decision have had a new kingdom bloom in there heart. This sounds like a hallmark card but this one has no down side.

Some may ask “Is a life without Jesus in this place really that bad?” without Hope in Jesus? yes! it really that bad ! Let us go to the lost museum,

Sometimes when people die without gaining any knowledge (or more importantly, are never born again) they have nothing to carry them into the spirtual world beyond, many exalted and titled worldlings are like ornately fashioned hearses, wonderfully brocaded funerary carriages of death, Jesus in his anger at the pharisees called them “white washed seplucheres”, those inside had many titles,many freinds much Gee Gaww, lotsa folks showin up at the carriage’s destination

The celebrated deceased had somewhere to go, alone, before God almighty, but it isnt good. In life they seemed to be doing well, the triuned God uses this as an ironic ending,.” “Unless a man is born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God” Weve been warned about this, but many thought it a myth, it is a fact, without an awakening there is no inheritance in the world to come. You simply are not allowed to see it, let alone be a citizen in its borders. The Masters words, not mine.

This always makes me worry for my family members, thats why im sending them this….. Its also jumping out of the religious Genre,) Excuse me, iam as I speak being rebuked, the sombre coachmen in a top hat with a curious gothic veil on the back of a tall stove pipe topper, bids me, “be silent you”, Me? my presence and speech annoy his dark spirit. id rather not.. and I wont,,but, anyway in the Victorian, or “gilded age” funeral Carrriages in this time had luxurious gothic trappings,They glittered darkly like ravens with a polished deadly sheen,hints of purple, most subtle,flicker in these crowlike birds feathers, you find hints of purple here and there in these plumed carriagesas well.

They showed up at odd times to happy citizens as shadows on london streets,at there appearance, curiously, a bell would toll, rare ghostly conveyances pocessed with something foreboding, but alas, terribly bereft of anything that would propel them to the Kingdom of God. ..,,class, titles, false finery, in short, in truth,..death in a fallen world. Look now learn, see, flee it with all your strength,Children of the day, please listen, even in expressing the futility of it is freightening …. so remember ,let us leave this place, there is no glory in lives ending without being born in to the kingdom of God,Jesus words are always true, without his birth,It is, I fear death forever, let us run? Faster...faster,

Because of the above,The Jews of Jesus time were obsessed with this pursuit of the kingdom of God. to the point of “obsessive ridiculousness”, Everyone secretly wants a happy ending and heaven after this stay on earth, so to attain it, they followed the law but,became a parody of what God intended it to be.

Jesus was chiding them left and right with hypocrysy and there fruitless obcession,? The disciples had no idea those they feared were so easily defeated and shamed (I doubt they were truly shamed ) so, rather.. taught. One sweet dream came true, how, Why?

Taught they were, they deserved itt too, they had been riding herd on the people who needed to be lead gently. They used the fear of not entering heaven to rule the people. Truly hypocrytes and extortionist, a faction of know it alls, in a high tower.

The book of John does not sugar coat his truthful dealing with them, and if you seriously look at the book of John, Its one “throw down “after another. What one man says seems right until another speaks, and you must defend your premise and triumph, then one day,Allelujah, Judaic scripture was gracefully brought to a new phase by the grace of Jesus. He had no malice, but righteous anger...When sinners like us Get on our horses to knock one another in our churches off there chargers, (oh, it happens) it is often just to feel victorious in lieu of nothing else to feel, With the lord of love though, his intent was to save them. He never sinned in his teaching of them.. Perhaps, Nicodemus sensed this.

Jesus Brought up there adherence to cleansing and endless picayunishness to appear pious by following it tediously, but it was for nuaght , All for show ... all flesh, no spirit.
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But, let us turn away from them,clearly they were deceived, but not all, not Nicodemus.

Sensing Jesus grace in these things, this man Nicodemus was seeking a deeper more loving way of ruling. He knew his life and calling was empty but….could Jesus really be the answer to the hypocrisy?.This Jesus, had a different approach, it was love.

What do you think, does your conscience ever speak to you? Dont say, “theres nothing to be done, Iam a believer so, let me lie down in my career and wait for the weekend. Im saved, I hope”
Just because you dont say it doesnt mean your not thinking or living it,.Consider Jesus
in the book of revelation, he has eyes that are like flaming torches, it symabolyzes his ability to see us, as we are inside and out. He knows.

So .. go to Jesus, he will show you that there is more than this if u seek more, In yourself and in your witness as well, all of us are victims of no more seeking, no more coming out of our comfort zones. Besides Iam brave and adventurous but, its unfortunately, in my imagintaion.

Charles Finney, wrote an essay titled “ the evangelization of the imagination”

one thing ive learned is that fear of seeking, fear of talking to non believers, coworkers, in short fear of breaking out of inner falsehood, at work or in or family,or asking a pastor something, in short ,fear of courage to challenge…or break out... is a deadly phantom, its trying to steal what God wants you to be or become.
Nicodemus did come at night, but he didnt sit and say:” what if?” He went. Will you ?t it takes faith.. this is Jesus direction for followers,is this your direction?,, Do you seek to bring him empty folks?.you really should, someone brought you.

The example of nicodemus, is in shor,” courage to resist”,.... Nicodemus didnt capiualate, do you? I know I do, But Ive learned to strive to live and fight..if not, the phantom the illusion, in short the devil , will take what God has prepared for me to be. Let us be aware of his devices. Apathy is a prominent tool. I believe Jesus wants us to share in the full direction we were meant to be realized in., we must listen to his spirit like Nicodemus did, when something is wrong God will tell you its wrong.. Is he asking you to save his created beings, or flee a lifestyle that is killing your true walk with Christ, Get up, ask him, not me. Hmm?

this ship is going slowly, lets take a new tack,.....

Were going to the museum, no, dont worry, this one is lively, huh? Yeah, all of us.its a happy place this time… leave the umbrella, its sunshiney, But before we go, my hope for you all, and all of you is to see what you can become in this wonderfull museum”, Who should we emulate .

If anything, brothers and sisters be like Christan and Faithfull in “Pilgrom’s Progress” when asked by the sinners in the town of “Vanity Fair”(A shakespearian sort of never ending carnival of sin) the snarky citizens asked the newbies “What do you want?, what will ye buy or seek,?” they answered, ” Only the truth”

Jesus when Questoned by Pilate said, “ Whoever follows me seeks the truth”. To this the Man of the world, a ruler, (who didnt listen to his wife), said, “What is truth?” Meaning the world is endless and vacuous, you are an idealis who has lost his way” Not so, Be children of the day and not the night, seek truth not the emptiness of this dark world, your choices like those of Nicodemus are only either or…...The world will portend that there are many options, but…..not for the children of the day not for the children of the light.

To talkThe dialogue, or the profession of faith openly in public in our cases,takes some courage, theres no way around this,

it is um, at times hard,,,sometims in work places its down right gruesome. It is however, always new ! you will develop a taste for this after everything around u gets old., witnessing to others of the kingdom of God and being separate, will be the only thing that isnt old and boring, what?. Uh no.. No this isnt my own idea? ,you are made to seek his will, he does this by eliminating all other options of the world as false,

A secret, and then a secret place, yes, yes, as i promised, how I found the place? The Museum. In truth, many times I shy away from this “newness” and just Grub along for my daily bread. I kinda flee from the spiritual realm.

But after a while,Its so demeaning boring and unglorious, uh, once as I was plodding along along, like a mule for a carrot, suddenly the Psalm of David came to my mind. “ Lord dont make me like a mule” What? Well yuh see, these stubborn critters will only work for what they can see or eat, wheres the mystery? wheres the glory? or beauty in that, I dont want a carrot, I want the invisible things that God wants me to have, dont you too? .


Oh freinds look!......its Twelve, the museum is open! not a moment too soon,Teacher is theoretical and endlessly boring, I heard you, its okay, in short, this is a lot to take in and im not aware of this...so
Come away, come away,see, the doors of the museum swing wide
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How was it found ? At times, the errant servant turned mule… He looked left, and then right, He looked at the cherished carrot, but shrugged, He cried out, (more of a honk and a Heee than a hee haw), and suddenly shed his skin, to go to this secret place.

It a sort of museum, of the heart n soul, look?.

Here Images, vignettes, displays, of devotion,faith, courage, that last forever and ever in this Kingdom Of God. Always new.

What is this place you ask? oh, would be citizen, this is the place of inspiration, No sleeper, not Noahs ark in a field to view vacuuosly for big hunks of money, away away, Look behold, here is…. Mary Magdalene, weeping at the tomb, then behold, bold seeker that she is, inside the tomb, Then,suddenly finding Jesus alive….,There is nothing like the dark confusion and bitter sorrow turning to joy radiant,. behold her face, as she realizes, that guy at the entrance to the tomb... Hey?…! hes Jesus….alive!!!! really! really!! alive!!!! .. she for a time, thought he was the gardener!…sorrow made her blind, but not now look at that face….close your eyes n seee...
come... see, roll up citizens.. roll up, see oh see.. Look,Look! the next exhibit appears….see...Broken hearted Peter,(chasing fish not men),to forget his sorrow, suddenly, Whats this?.... Christ alive! Can it be?on the seashore, (Then with no set change) the master asking the painfull question thrice ,”Peter... do you truly love me/” so painfull,.. see. the face ,look! I say... see the face, see his... shame,... for the children of God there is always shame,,so necessary for restoration...and then made whole shaking the world, and changing it forever. now, close your eyes, close your eyes see. see. see….. the museum of those who followed him despite opposition, iit was was steep it was real war but., there is no other path for such as these, and us too us too, and so they who went before us entered the Kingdom of Godwithhonor that last forever. roll up, roll up,(Hint)” line up”, citizens. its free always and new unlike the world,..any way, wait? whats that new citizen? which way to the arc?, oh citizen...do wake up , thats a thing, a conveyance, long past its duty,it has no life, these are real people, Ive watched the Mary Magdalen’s exhibit fifty times, and its always new?How u say? Who knows, it just is , it is, such questions? step right this way .. roll up roll up! .We all seek glory, beauty, but this is the most sublime, we follow his exalted head and in heaven and we dream dreams, yes perhaps, someone we know, or witnessed to, or you or..or... oh,... a thought?, very unlikely, indeed, but, ill be honest ,me?You? Whats that? Yes citizen,its real but dreaming wont make it so,, get up ,,seek! share your secrets while u have life,you only have one, go to. go to, or just, go...Where u say? Why, good heavens citizen, to the world its a pit of death, seek the lost tell them of Jesus and his kingdom., what? yes yes a lot to take in you say, its slighyly overwhelming for you,forgive me... your new, i understand. uh, this is the way out, what?... um, no, but,.. thank you for your concern.. Im staying,,,,,

Oh dear , not again, Its infinately more glorious than this sinners wandering, his creative dreaming. however, I would be lying if I said my secret place doesnt makes me happy..Have mercy Master, I digressed, Where was I lord? Yes yes...oh no.. really Okay ive been warned to get back on track. I apologize can you forgive my long windedness? Yes, thank you Jesus, Great the rest will be better. Days at museum over…. For now, I will return again and again and……..later.

Nicodemus may have been nervous as Jesus looked at him in the mysterious night, at his humble lodging,He was waiting for him. and the ruler said “..I know you are a man of God by your signs, for noone not of God could perform them”.

Evidentiary discerning, it a necessary tool to find out if something is real or fraudulent, it was Good, but not enough.,,,

Jesus Greeted his findings with a strange new saying, “ unless a man is born again he cant enter the Kingdom of God” Taken a back by this he answered rather viscerally, but honestly with a question,,asking questions is how you find out what you need to know, so he blurted out “ how can a man be born again, unless he Goes back into his mothers womb to be born again?”

Sometimes Columbo will know, but pretend not to know, this answer means he definitively had no idea what Jesus was talking about,

A lot of people are like this, but unlike Columbo, they dont know what to say. or afraid to ask, so they say things they dont, mean to hide it, the world loves hypocrites,but God doesnt

The beginning of any journey starts with the first baby steps, the worst way to fail in any attempt to acquire knowledge is to be dishonest about it. He was honesrly confused.

Many times Ive seen pastors, teachers, not know what to say or do or think,they soldier on merely on will or flesh, You can always tell it just them without this spirit of new birth when anyone questions the direction, its generally anger, Ive been there watchin it and being it.

A thought, Its really not fully our fault, the spirit is not always at anyones beck and call., or in there pocket, one little hint may be helpful, the spirit cannot work without humility and holiness, He is said to be grieved by these things and flees, I realize jesus was talking about the new birth but holiness and recieving the spirit to see it and feel it, seem to go hand in hand, ,

To express this mystery of the new birth Jesus said “ the wind blows wherever it wishes, you hear it but you dont know where it came from or is going, so it is with everyone born of the spirit”

By this crypiic message,You can understand why ,many people get frustrated in this walk of faith, its seemingly too mysterious and filled with endless puzzles that some people purport to know and look wise, then appear aloof, but then, cant help you to get where they are,it can be vexing, why? Few are trained to help others. Whats going on with this?. Many have decided its merely a magic show. Its not, it your destiny, its real, so.. stick around..

Listen, One thought on why its so hard is its merely Gods way of weaning us away from our own carnal, and worldly thinking. Our comfort zone is no help.

Through All our years in the fallen world weve slowly learned how to get along, we have our own litttle Bible of how to do this and understand that,but... Nothing you have been trained to do or taught will be effective in this new challenge, its totally new and truly inexplicable, but persevere and like nicodemust you will develop the ability to see spiritual things,once gained you will be free of the worlds fetters and hooks.

It isnt that its been a long time without doing this, its that weve never done it, and its quite mysterious, so hold on and stay humble and holy,.

We are taught by schools, to grasp and be confident in what we know, Jesus taught well and the people loved to listen to him, the pharisees marveled that he had never been to school or trained, but,He was God and and knew all things, for us, well,, the new birth and the Holy spirit,hmmm? its not like studying, its more like walkng off a cliff onto a cloud.
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It holds you, by your faith, um.. not like school stuff, is it?.

Nicodemus had just gotten his first lesson of this and said, How can these things be? Meaning things from God without logic or reason or even a coherent story line are seemingly Not right?, Well it is right, but new and different,

Sometimes more coherent than others, for example, finally,

listen, the apostle Philip was walking on a highway and heard a prominent official (A business guy on the road) reading scripture aloud.. scripture that spoke of jesus future suffering. This guy was in the middle of nowhere talking of Jesus lineage seemingly being cut off by his enemies, sort of like his lineage would be, He was a Eaunich.,..

It was an unusual situtaion for Philipp seeing a wealthy man in a chariot by the side of the road sort of talking to himself hmmm?, uh..” theres the cliff, theres the cloud Philpp,... uh.. start walkin..”

What? See, quite inexplicable,seemingly strange, then the Holy Spirit, the wind said “Go and talk to him” he did so, and exlplained what he was reading really means,....brieflyJesus triumphed ove fleshly men and so do we with Jesus help. The talking man in the chariiot was happy that spiritual lineagen is spirit and eternal, not of the flesh. It had bothered him a long time, because.. well...but now, not anymore.

Philipp did A god job as a teacher, it apparently saved the man, and he accepted the gospel, the man asked to be baprized to continue in this spirt of fufillment in Christ. Philipp obliged.

Yes it has a happy ending, but it isnt always this clear. But, one thing about this little story is that Philipp wasnt wondering around, he was a spirtual business man, in the spirit, and ready to listen, due to his heart for what Jesus had left his followers to accomplish, we still have a lot to do, dont space out, or get distracted, I should talk.

The Man who happened to be a eaunich, was seeking earnestly to know what God was saying to him personally, both were actively pleading for the winds of God to explain things and he did.

Another example….Dwight moody,( I have his picture,but cant figure out how to post it), no matter, This great spirit filled man started or was part ot the last great revivals in the United States and England.

Well, he had a meeting in his tabernacle, and invited all the leading pastors of Chicagor to speak, they wrangled and agonized and wondered what to say, and if allowed they would have went on and on and on the whole night with all there preconcieived overly thought out messages,,nothing new there.

Sensing this, Mr moody said, “ uh...sorry gentlemen, no written stuff here, nope, you must speak off the cuff, and just say what the Holy Spirit tells you too, also gentlemen... as I look at you all you seem to be rather proud and seeking your own personal honor(Again with the mule thing,) away with it all, and just say whatever comes to you buy the holy spirit to the crowd, they are thirsty sirs, they are hungry, give them something to eat gentlemen” uh.. theres the cliff theres the clo,,,,,,,,

One sweet dream came true that day too
Wonderfully, for some reason the meeting seemed to go on forever and ever for many hours But, it was interesting and enlightening. Mr moody after a long night, adjourned with a prayer and all the pastors thought he was a genius, when before they had possibly sort of thought he was an overgown child.
Nicodemus had a long way to go, when he was confused by the new way... Jesus used the title that Nicodemus had to chasten him, “ You are supposed to be a teacher and you ask such things?.
People take these rebukes differently, some just say “Well! I never..” and leave, yes, and they rarely come back... Ive seen grown people turn to bad children before my eyes,

Men and weoman, Please dont regect spiritual discipline,, your place in the kingdom depends upon it, Jesus is allowed to rebuke us, some pastors can too, accepting it shows we are sons,and daughters Of God, so take it as a compliment and keep seeking. Pride is flesh, listen To God and dont be a child of a hundred years, It gets old, and its neccesary to be pruned,you will make mistakes, its spirit not flesh, quite new….

Coming home with this now... Looking at it, it seems to be a “West Virginia”, wild and hopefully wonderful piece, time will tell?

In closing,we must put all hope and confidence in Jesus. He states and does not lie that he and only he is the final and only authority in the history of our world, Alpha and Omeaga

He stated in this passage ,that he is The only one who came from heaven and will also return, he is claiming to be the only one and he doesnt lie, the divine servant of man, the Son of God is true.

People for a time have free will, they may find other people or thoughts or idols but they will not last or have his seal of authenticity or “power”, so hold fast to his feet and his alone, dont be like the man in the lovely funeral carriage all dressed up butnot able to enter heaven,, hold on and dont let go,

Last remember the symbol of the serpent on the pole, (its surprising that its a serpent, but it was a harbinger of health and thats all there is to that,) its still used as a Physicians logo,Look up to him and dont look back, This historical event happened to give physical well being, its mentioned to signify Jesus on the cross to , so look up t and thus see the kingdom of God, the lifting up means look up not down, look up in times of trouble, in regards to this Jesus please have mercy on this nation at this time, Master teach all to look up to you. Mercy master, we are all your children… Mercy Lord

therefore, let us rejoice for we have his words, his holy spirit and his promises,

lastly, he said “whoever believes iin him will have eternal life” Remember this, it is the key to your happy destination , dont let the distractions of titles, and the worlds pomp steal your zeal, also carnal ways seemingly okay with the status, quo distract us, struggle to become who he intended you to become.

I love you all who read this In Christ alone. Iam a sinner and have nothing but what Jesus gives me to feel. I Pray for this message to save someone from a shallow and meaningless empty life, its only possible in Jesus holy name, lord have mercy on this sinner, amen.