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THE K ING ' S BUS I NESS
December, 1942
saved and made ready for hgaven. The the WORD of God was made FLESH world has never been the same since ‘ and dwelt among us.
would like to open your Bibles while I read you some of the things that he says about his Friend, Jesus. He said:. (Bead parts of verses 3, 9, 14,12). Per haps some of you would like to ask this wonderful Lord Jesus now to be your own Friend and Saviour. Object Lesson T he W ord T hat W orks OBJECTS: Two pieces of paper and a piece of cardboard 1x7 inches. (With the two pieces of paper make a globe of the world IV 2 inches in diameter. Paste them together, down the sides, and across the bottom. With a crayon draw the lines of longitude and lati tude on the front and back. Cut an opening %x3% inches in both pieces of paper, beginning 2 inches from the top and ending 2 inches from the bot tom. Insert the cardboard in the world, beneath the opening. .In the opening and on the piece inserted, printing downward, write “WORD.” Using the letters of this word, writing on either side of the slot, complete on the sketch of the globe the following words, “WORLD, LOST, CHRIST and REDEEMED.” Turn the globe over and write the word “FLESH” on the card board. Using these letters, complete the following words: “FAITH, BELIEF, R E P E N T A N C E , S AVED a n d HEAVEN.” ) LESSON: This is a rather sad-look- ing world, is it not? There is a hole down the middle, with meaningless, letters on either side. Turning the world over, we find that it Is not im proved. I hold in my hand a piece of card board. On one side we read, ‘‘WORD,” and on the other side, “FLESH.” It reminds me of John 1:14, which speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” Perhaps these words would change the sad-looking world. [Insert between the two sides of the world.] We now read, “WORLD LOST. CHRIST RE DEEMED.” How glad we should be that the WORD, God’s Son, Came to redeem a lost world. As we turn the world over, we now read, “FAITH, BELIEF, REPENTANCE, SAVED and HEAVEN.” This side teaches us that those who repent of their Sin, have faith in Jesus Christ the living WORD of God, and believe in Him as a personal Saviour are t z *S
10,1943 , GREAT TEACHER :1-16 .. he was thus born from above, Nico demus would seek truth in vain. 1 ii. T he M ystery (4-13) “How can a man be born when he is old?” asked Nicodemus *(v.* 4), re vealing that he was thinking in terms of the natural man. The birth from above was a spiritual experience, and though one were born a thousand times of the flesh—if such were pos sible—still he would be flesh and not spirit. The birth by' the flesh might be explained, but the birth from aboVe could not be explained. It was as mys terious as the blowing of the wind. God alone could control the wind and give it direction. Likewise, God alone could control the birth from above. That birth could be received only through the Holy Spirit. Nicodemus should have k n o w n these ^things, but he continued to ask, “How'can these things be?” (v. 9). Jesus replied that if he did not believe the earthly things, or the necessity of the new birth, he would not believe if told the heavenly things, or the “how” of the new birth. III. T h e S implicity (14-16) Nicodemus was familiar with the record of the serpent in the wilderness which had been raised upon a pole (cf. Num. 21). In the plan of God, the Israelites in the wilderness, in danger of death because of the bite of the serpents, were healed by simply look ing at that brazen serpent. Even so iim Son of man. would .be lifted up and whosoever looked at Him would re ceive the birth from above. There could be nothing simpler. The only thing that hinders is the natural heart of unbelief. The people of old looked at the serpent and were healed without understanding the ’ ‘how” ; so sin ers may look to Jesus on thé cross and be born from above though not understanding how the new birth is brought about. “ God so loved the world” that He made this way for men to be born from above. The provision is not for one class alone, but for “whosoever” ; not for those who understand, but for “whosoever believeth” ; riot for those who "choose some other method, but for “whosoever believeth in him,” the One who hung upon the cross (searing our sins in His own body on the tree. Believing, men are bom from above. The purpose of God was that men should “not perish, but have eternal life” (v. 15) by the new birth. There
JANUARY JESUS INSTRUCTS / J ohn .
John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees» named Nicodemus, a ruler o f ' the Jews: .2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we Issew that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be With him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I" ¿ay unto thcie, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God* 4 Nicodemus salth 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? 5 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. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again, 8 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 pt the Spirit. 9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? 10 Jesus answered- and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? 11- Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that v we have seen; and ye receive not our witness^ . 1 2 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? 13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: i* V- ’ 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but hhve eternal life. 18 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that who soever belieyeth in |iim should not perish, but have, everlasting life. GOLDEN TEXT : «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” (John 3:16). DEVOTIONAL READING: 1 John 3:1-10. Outline, and Exposition I. T he A nnouncement (1-3) » ICODEMUS was a man of the tal truth. Acknowledging that, the works of Jesus proved He was a teacher sent from God, Nicodemus came to Him because he felt Jesus could answer his questions (vs. 1, 2), His coming to Jesus revealed he was dissatisfied with the religion he had, that he mistrusted it and desired something that would satisfy his soul’s longing. The answer of Jesus brushed aside all other considerations and went di rectly to the heart of Nicodemus’ trouble..A man must “be born again” or “ born from above” (v. 3, R. V. mar gin), if he would see or enter the kingdom of God, Jesus told him. Until
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