John 3:1-9
Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 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.”
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
4 “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!”
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 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.”
9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
Matthew 26:59-63
The High Priest Asks Jesus, Who Are You
59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward.
Finally two came forward 61 and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”
62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent.
The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
John 6:38
I Came from Heaven
38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.
Matthew 10:34-42
Jesus Did Not Come to Bring Peace on Earth
34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn
“‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’
37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”
Luke 12:49-53
49 “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! 51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52 From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
Matthew 9:6
Jesus Has the Authority to Forgive Sins on Earth
6 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.
Matthew 11:27-30
Jesus is Gentle and Humble in Heart
27“All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Mark 1:33-34
Jesus Heals All that Comes to Him
33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. 35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
John 3:31-35
God Gives Jesus Authority on Earth
31 “The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.
John 8:31-32
Jesus' Teachings Shall Set Us Free
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
John 10:27-28
Jesus Gives His Followers Eternal Life
27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.
Isaiah 55:8
God's Thoughts are Not Man's Thoughts
8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
Two thousand years ago one came to Jesus to get some serious questions answered...He was a Pharisee and a teacher and Rabbi of Israel whose name was Nicodemus...And after his questions he shocked by the answers he was getting from Jesus...Nicodemus had made this comment to Jesus, “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 replies, “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!”...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.”...And Nicodemus answers, "How can this be?"...
Jesus was controversial when He started His ministry and His teachings...Many things He said are hard to understand...I can very much relate with Nicodemus, when Jesus is talking to Nicodemus about the wind and the Spirit...His answer was very unique and difficult for me...Jesus is certainly a unique and gifted Man...And two thousand years ago as Nicodemus listens to His answers, we see Jesus' uniqueness, and He remains that way today...He said and did some very unusual and some very great things...Not only with Nicodemus, and not only with His Disciples, but much of what He did was in front of the public...He did not hide His teachings, His miracles, and His beliefs...What He said, and what He was able to do added to all this controversy about Him...The more information, or so it seems we got from Jesus, the more unique and complex and dynamic -He becomes and became to His followers...And His first followers were for the most part (all) Jewish, and many familiar with the Old Testament Scripture and had their own interpretations of Scripture...But Jesus explained the Scripture like God would and that in itself makes Him very unique...I want to repeat that His interpretation of Scripture is from God, and that makes Him very much unique...Jesus seemed to stretch our vocabulary in such a way, that it makes some of His words and teachings seem almost contradictory...
He sometimes sounds (to me) like Someone from outer space...And He is... He came down from heaven not to do His own will, but to do the will of God who sent Him...His very statement saying that He came down from heaven is interesting...And He says the One who comes from above is above all and the ones who are from earth, speaks as ones from earth...But the One who comes from heaven speaks, acts, and does things quite differently...The One whom God has sent speaks the words of God and for God, who gives the Spirit without limit...The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands...And only the Father knows Me, and only I know the Father and will and can reveal the Father -to those who I choose to reveal Him...Where did these words come from and how can this be?...
And how do you describe a Man who tells us that He came to earth not to bring peace, but to bring division?...He tells us that He will divide the closest relationships on earth -the family...Fathers will be against sons and mothers will be against daughters...Then in the next breath, He tells us, when we are tired and weary, He will give us rest...And if we follow His teachings we can learn from Him, because His yoke is easy and His burden is light...And then He adds, He is gentle and humble in heart...To add to this He tells the Jews and the people of Israel, He has the authority to forgive sins on earth...Who gave Him such authority?...How can this be?...
First I am not sure it is fair to call Jesus a Man...I would only try to start to describe Him as controversial, often a contradiction, shocking, amazing, disruptive, unbelievable, and at the same time the most loving, gentlest, and humblest Man, to ever walk the earth...And this is two thousand years later and this brief description still surrounds Him...And Nicodemus's question of "How can this be?" remains as pertinent today, as it was since He started His preaching and teaching...In fact, even beside followers like Nicodemus, as we read through the four gospels -we feel this extreme uniqueness that sometimes even the authors seem confused by what and who He is and seem even at odds to His teachings and ways (because they are so different and unique)...
To me, Nicodemus' questions infers and leads to more questions for Jesus...Nicodemus question of "How can this be?" (to me) is also asking how do You know these things, how do You do the things You are doing (like healing everyone who comes to You or how can One forgive sins without being Divine), are You really from Heaven, and who really are You...How can You do all these things that You have been doing, if You are not from and sent by God?...
And this brings up the question who do you personally think Jesus is- and where did He come from?...Who is He?...The question of "Who is He?" is basically the question that was ask Him by the High Priest on the night of His arrest...Jesus had said that He was able to destroy the Temple of God and could rebuild it in three days...And with this comment the High Priest asked Him, "Are you not going to answer?...What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?”...But Jesus remained silent and did not answer the High Priest...
For me the answer and answers are found in the question "How do You do the things You are doing?"...The answer He gives is He came from Heaven...He teaches us and actually says that He comes from above, and is above all of us...The Father LOVES the Son and has placed everything in His hands...God knows Him and He knows His Father...God has given Him all authority on earth...And the people and ones who believes this and accepts this testifies, certifies, and believe that He is truthful...And when you know this Truth, this Truth shall set you free...And when you believe in Him -you are one of His sheep...Then He will give you life forever -you will have eternal life and His believers will never die...His sheep listen to Him and will live forever in heaven with Him and His Father...
Jesus is completely unique...Completely eternal and infinite...He is like no other...Look at His life, what He said and what He did and compare it to all the other great men and leaders that come to mind...The words that comes to my mind are Love, True Mercy, Forgiveness, Truth, Divine Grace, Divineness, From Heaven, and My Lord and My God...