The Desire of Ages--17--Nicodemus

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

With God all things are possible! By complete surrender to Jesus on a moment-by-moment basis we can enjoy the experience in our souls whereby God supernaturally brings forth love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and temperance! By grace through faith we may be partakers of the divine nature by receiving the exceedingly great and precious promises of God's holy word! What a privilege! Let us go forth to bless others as we abide in Jesus!

"It is impossible for finite minds to comprehend the work of redemption. Its mystery exceeds human knowledge; yet he who passes from death to life realizes that it is a divine reality. The beginning of redemption we may know here through a personal experience. Its results reach through the eternal ages." {The Desire of Ages, page 173, paragraph 2}

While we may not fully realize the value of the gift offered us in Christ, let us CHOOSE HIM today and help others choose Jesus!!

[Richard Myers]

What a joy to once again read this chapter! We leave this chapter stickied at the top continually, that others may realize the value we receive when we read it. Jesus presents the gospel of grace in simple terms that a child May understand. Not only then is the deception scene, but we also see how it is that we can be converted. It's not good enough to see our lost condition, but God does not leave it without wisdom and Grace to be converted. Jesus clearly reveals to Nicodemus what he must do in order to be transformed in nature. As Moses lifted the serpent in the wilderness even so must the son of man be lifted up that we might look and live.

[Dorine]

"Since hearing Jesus, Nicodemus had anxiously studied the prophecies relating to the Messiah; and the more he searched, the stronger was his conviction that this was the One who was to come. With many others in Israel he had been greatly distressed by the profanation of the temple. He was a witness of the scene when Jesus drove out the buyers and the sellers; he beheld the wonderful manifestation of divine power; he saw the Saviour receiving the poor and healing the sick; he saw their looks of joy, and heard their words of praise; and he could not doubt that Jesus of Nazareth was the Sent of God."

If all the priests and rulers had done what Nicodemus had done in going to the scriptures in search of truth what a different story we would be reading. What a lesson for our church today and for us individually. When we go to scripture it should be with a teachable heart to know truth. If we search scripture to support our own thinking we will be led astray.  Christ has not left us in darkness. There is no reason to be confused or in error. In His mercy He patiently knocks on the hearts door, longingly waiting for the door to open.  Thank you Jesus for not giving up on me.

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

This is a good question, followed by a biblical answer:

"How, then, are we to be saved? 'As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,' so the Son of man has been lifted up, and everyone who has been deceived and bitten by the serpent may look and live. 'Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.' John 1:29. The light shining from the cross reveals the love of God. His love is drawing us to Himself. If we do not resist this drawing, we shall be led to the foot of the cross in repentance for the sins that have crucified the Saviour. Then the Spirit of God through faith produces a new life in the soul. The thoughts and desires are brought into obedience to the will of Christ. The heart, the mind, are created anew in the image of Him who works in us to subdue all things to Himself. Then the law of God is written in the mind and heart, and we can say with Christ, 'I delight to do Thy will, O my God.' Psalm 40:8." {The Desire of Ages, page 175, paragraph 5}

Are we willing to let God do the miracle in our hearts that must take place? We must look and live. Look away from self in our helpless unworthiness and believe that He does save the uttermost all who come unto God by Him! Let us continually pray that we will look to Jesus and live, turn resolutely from ALL sin that crucified Christ, and become like Him in mind and character so that all of the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives without one missing as we go forth to obey the law of God from an intelligent appreciation of the loveliness of Jesus' character!

[Beacon]

"When the Spirit of God takes possession of the heart, it transforms the life. Sinful thoughts are put away, evil deeds are renounced; love, humility, and peace take the place of anger, envy, and strife..

..Joy takes the place of sadness, and the countenance reflects the light of heaven..

..No one sees the hand that lifts the burden, or beholds the light descend from the courts above. The blessing comes when by faith the soul surrenders itself to God. Then that power which no human eye can see creates a new being in the image of God."

The invitation from Jesus is still available to all who are willing to come. God's Word says in Matthew 7:7...Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

Won't you come today without delay...Jesus allows U-Turns and will receive you with open arms rejoicing in your decision.

[Philip T]

Not through controversy and discussion is the soul enlightened. We must look and live. Nicodemus received the lesson, and carried it with him. He searched the Scriptures in a new way, not for the discussion of a theory, but in order to receive life for the soul. He began to see the kingdom of heaven as he submitted himself to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

There are thousands today who need to learn the same truth that was taught to Nicodemus by the uplifted serpent. They depend on their obedience to the law of God to commend them to His favor. When they are bidden to look to Jesus, and believe that He saves them solely through His grace, they exclaim, “How can these things be?”

Studying the scripture is not enough, we need to study to show our selves approved unto God. Reading and studying just to know the scriptures to discuss them is not how change happens within us. We need to study scripture with an earnest heart, with prayer looking for spiritual life for our souls. This is a nugget of truth we should bury in our hearts and minds, and put to use when praying and studying God's word. It is something to pray for.

[Richard Myers]

What a joy to read the thoughts as you all share your understanding of this most important chapter! God has a people who love Him with the whole heart and that people is growing in number even though we see them not with our human eyes. But, we do see a small group right here who are reading along with us.

Yesterday morning I was impressed with something I have not shared before.


While Jesus was speaking, some gleams of truth penetrated the ruler’s mind. The softening, subduing influence of the Holy Spirit impressed his heart. Yet he did not fully understand the Saviour’s words. He was not so much impressed by the necessity of the new birth as by the manner of its accomplishment. He said wonderingly, “How can these things be?”

“Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?” Jesus asked. Surely one entrusted with the religious instruction of the people should not be ignorant of truths so important. His words conveyed the lesson that instead of feeling irritated over the plain words of truth, Nicodemus should have had a very humble opinion of himself, because of his spiritual ignorance. Yet Christ spoke with such solemn dignity, and both look and tone expressed such earnest love, that Nicodemus was not offended as he realized his humiliating condition.

We see so very clearly that Jesus rebuked Nicodemus not just once, but continued to tell Him how far removed he was from heaven. What we do not see in what is written is the "look and tone expressed." We read here what that looked like, it revealed Jesus' earnest love for this proud leader. Because the Holy Spirit was working on his heart, and because he understood the love of Jesus for him, "Nicodemus was not offended" even though he realized his humiliating condition.

What is the lesson for us today?   As a Laodicean people, we are in need of strong rebuke. We find that strong rebuke in the third chapter of the Book of Revelation in Jesus speaking directly to His church today. But, He not only strongly rebukes His church, He also encourages us to be converted and how it is that we can "repent."  Let us add to these words the "look and tone" of His message to us as a people so we shall not be offended over our humiliating condition as a people. Does the message apply to us, as an individual? His look and tone if we could see and hear Him would reveal His "earnest love" for us. It is this love for us while yet sinners that is the grace that saves us. It would be well to behold that grace by spending a thoughtful hour a day contemplating the life of Jesus especially the closing scenes. For then it was that we see Him being beaten and hung on a tree. It is by contemplating these stripes He suffered  on my account that I am healed (Isaiah 53:5).  This is the message we have been given to take to the world, it is the first angel's message, the gospel of grace.