We're continuing on this morning in our walk through the story of Jesus according to John.
If you have your Bible with you, please open it up. I'd encourage you to do that and to follow along.
If you don't have one, make use of the Pew Bible. We have that there for you as well.
And last Sunday we looked at and we talked about what does it mean to be born again?
It's kind of a big question and we got into that a little bit, Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus.
We learned a little bit about what Jesus had to say about that, that there's this second birth that we must undergo to enter the kingdom of God.
And it's not a physical rebirth, it's a spiritual birth, something God does in us by his spirit.
But we're going to continue on looking at this conversation that Jesus had with Nicodemus and find out how this conversation ended up.
Because we kind of had that big question last Sunday of, well, how is this going to turn out for Nicodemus?
What's going to happen with him here in this story?
So let's just kind of remember what got us into this conversation in the first place.
John kind of gave this summary.
Jesus went up to Jerusalem and he was there for the Passover and the week which followed.
And it says this in verse 23, it says that many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name.
But Jesus would not entrust himself to them for he knew all people.
He did not need any testimony about mankind for he knew what was in each person.
So Jesus seems to have this knowledge of people that goes beyond what just any ordinary person would have of another person.
Nicodemus said this in his first thing he said to Jesus.
He said, no one could perform the signs you're doing if God were not with him.
But let's also notice that his disciples saw that he has this knowledge of people that no one could have unless God were with him.
And as we'll find out, it's even more than that.
So that's what we're looking at this morning.
We're looking at this truth of what Jesus knows about people.
I put it up there on the screen in a different translation just to give you a little bit of a sense of the word for word.
Jesus on his part was not entrusting himself to those people at the Passover and the festival.
For he knew all men.
And because he did not need anyone to testify concerning man.
For he himself knew what was in a man.
What is John telling us here?
As I was studying deeper into this, one of the things that really just jumped off the page was the tense of the verbs in the original language.
It's a very grammatical thing, but it really does give us a whole other sense of what John is talking about here.
So to kind of just give you a little bit of a picture,
this is not a good English translation, but it kind of gives a sense of the tense of the verbs that John uses.
But Jesus was not entrusting himself to them.
That's to the people who saw his signs and believed.
For he was knowing all men.
And because he was not having need that anyone testify concerning man.
For he himself was knowing what was in man.
So you get a sense a little bit from the tense of the verbs here.
This is not John just kind of reflecting back and here's a principle that I found out later.
Jesus knows what's in people's hearts.
No, the sense of it here is that here Jesus is at the festival.
And as he's having interactions with people, his disciples are watching and they're noticing that he has knowledge of the people that he's talking to and interacting with.
He knows things about them.
Specific things.
It's kind of a sense.
You almost get the sense that it happened repeatedly.
And as they're watching this, the disciples notice that Jesus isn't getting information about these various people from anyone.
Like there's nobody running background checks on them and slipping him notes about this person or that person.
You get the sense that as he has these interactions with people, he just knows things about them.
Just like he did with Nathaniel when he said, I saw you sitting under the fig tree.
Not only does he know things about people, but John tells us that he was knowing what was in them.
He was knowing what was in man.
And probably the NIV has it right when it says that he was knowing what was in or he knew what was in each person.
And so this whole story of Nicodemus, this conversation is an example of that.
John has just made the point.
Jesus knows what is in people.
He knows what's in a man.
And then he goes off into this story of Nicodemus.
And here's an example of the kind of thing that I'm talking about when I say that.
And to see that link, you can look just at the beginning of chapter 3 and the very end of chapter 2.
It's on the screen there.
For he himself knew what was in man.
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus.
So Nicodemus is the case.
He's the case test, the example.
And so that's where we're going this morning.
We're going to look at what does Jesus know about Nicodemus?
And I think that's really the main purpose why John has included this in the story at this point.
You remember that first thing that Nicodemus said to Jesus?
This is how the conversation starts.
Nicodemus says,
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.
And already, right off the bat, we start to see this contrast starting.
John's putting this in to tell us about what Jesus knows.
But the conversation starts with Nicodemus telling Jesus what he knows about Jesus.
Or what he and his fellow Pharisees, members of the ruling council, think they know about Jesus.
We've seen the signs that you're doing.
And so we know that you are a teacher.
We know that you're a teacher.
But even here, you know, we start to see this contrast.
I mean, John's just told us, Jesus knows what's in a man.
He knows people.
And the picture we get of Nicodemus and the Pharisees here
is just of ordinary people just trying to figure out,
who is this Jesus guy?
What's his deal?
I mean, we're seeing the miracles.
So he's got to be at least a teacher.
They don't really know who Jesus is.
And this contrast just gets stronger and stronger
as we go throughout this conversation with Nicodemus.
So let's be reminded of it a little bit.
The first thing we see is right after this, Jesus kind of responds.
We looked at this last Sunday.
He tells Nicodemus that he has to be born again
to enter the kingdom of God.
So Jesus knows that entrance into the kingdom of God
requires second birth.
And Nicodemus responds with,
how can a man be born when he's old?
He doesn't know what Jesus is talking about.
That's the first part of the conversation.
Then it goes on from there.
And we see that Jesus knows that this second birth
is a spiritual birth.
is something that God does by his spirit in a person.
And Nicodemus in verse 6, it says he's surprised.
He wonders at this
because he still doesn't know what Jesus is talking about.
Jesus goes on.
He talks about what he knows,
how being born of the spirit is,
it's like the wind.
He gives an analogy.
He explains it a little bit.
In fact, he even kind of says that
just like the wind,
it's not something that,
I guess, ordinary man, we might say,
can understand
because we can't see
the spiritual
just like we can't see the wind.
Nicodemus' response is,
how can this be?
How can these things be?
He still doesn't know
what Jesus is talking about.
So you see this.
Jesus knows
what's in a man
and he knows all these things.
But Nicodemus,
he doesn't know.
He doesn't understand, really,
what Jesus is talking about.
Eventually, it comes down to a bit of a head
in verse 10
where Jesus
chides
Nicodemus.
He says,
you are Israel's teacher
and do you not understand
these things?
Another word for no.
This is really a big theme here.
And can you imagine
how Nicodemus is feeling
as he hears this?
Imagine how you'd be feeling
if you're him,
you know,
and Jesus
looks you in the eye
and says this to you
in front of other people.
You are Israel's teacher
and do you not understand
these things?
Like, I imagine
I'd be feeling
a little bit embarrassed,
maybe a little bit humiliated
or shamed,
you know,
like,
if I'm proud,
maybe a little bit
even angry.
Like, what do you mean?
Are you telling me
that this
born again
of the spirit stuff
is like the basics
and I don't get it?
Or are you saying
that I'm not qualified
to be a teacher
in Israel?
But we want to give Nicodemus
a little bit of slack.
I mean,
it's easy for us
to look at him
and think,
oh,
poor Nicodemus.
He just doesn't get it.
But let's think about
what we know,
what we understand.
Put yourself in the room there
with the disciples
as Jesus
starts saying
these things
to Nicodemus.
If you want to enter
the kingdom of God,
you need to be born again.
Do you know
what Jesus
is talking about?
Do you understand
spiritual birth
and what all that entails
and how it works?
I think if we're honest,
we have to admit
that just like
we can't see the wind,
we don't really know
how the spiritual works.
We're kind of a little bit
in the same boat
as Nicodemus.
Jesus knows these things
as if they're,
you know,
this is how it is
and we don't really know
what he's talking about either.
We have what he says
to go on
and what we have
in other places
of the word of God.
But this is something
that we don't fully understand.
Spiritual birth?
Another thing
that kind of
gets at us
and we're kind of
drawn in
to ask this question
as we go through the story
is what's really going on
with Nicodemus here?
Let me ask you the question.
Do you know
if Nicodemus
is a true believer
or not?
Any thoughts?
There's been some indication
a little bit
on both sides.
I mean,
he started out good
in what he said.
He kind of seems
to be an example
of one who's
seen the miracles
and has believed
in his name.
But he's also
an example
of someone
who Jesus
did not entrust himself
to.
He started out good
by saying,
we know that you
are a teacher
who has come from God
because we've seen
the miracles
and no one
can do those things
unless God
were with him.
But then on the other side,
just a teacher?
What about
the Messiah?
What about
some of these
other things
that John the Baptizer
has been saying
that the other disciples
have confessed
about Christ?
Is Nicodemus
a true believer
or not?
We don't know.
And I'm going to guess
that probably
Jesus' disciples
are wondering too.
They're kind of
looking at it
from the same kind
of human perspective
that we have.
What's really going on
here with Nicodemus?
Is he going to join us?
Is he one of us?
Does he believe?
Even as we come down
to verse 9,
Nicodemus,
after all this
talk of being
born of the Spirit,
he says,
how can this be?
We don't even know
what he meant by that.
Was that
an expression of wonder?
Was it an expression
that was,
was it a sincere question?
How can these things be?
Like,
how does it work?
Was this a statement
of skepticism?
Like,
how can this be?
Or unbelief?
unbelief.
Does Nicodemus agree
with all this stuff
that Jesus has been saying
or does he disagree
with it?
We don't know.
Because we don't know
what's in a man.
What's really going on
in the heart
of a person.
And this is,
this is where we come
to this pinnacle moment
in the passage
because Jesus
does know
whether Nicodemus
is a true believer
or not.
He does know
what's going on
in Nicodemus' heart.
And he's actually
about to tell us
that,
he's about to tell
Nicodemus
what Nicodemus
really believes.
And so let's
see that
as we read on.
Jesus says,
very truly,
verse 11,
I tell you,
we speak
of what we know
and we testify
to what we have seen.
but still,
you people
do not accept
our testimony.
Now there's a couple
things in here
we want to just notice
before we get
to the answer.
Jesus speaks
in the first,
the first person plural.
He says,
we.
Who are the we?
Now,
commentators
and scholars,
they've put a whole
bunch of different
ideas to this.
At the end of the day,
we don't really know
what Jesus meant
by that.
Don't take it
as gospel truth.
My best guess
is that perhaps
other things
were talked about
in this conversation,
in this exchange,
and John the Baptist,
baptizer,
came up
and Jesus is
including him
in this statement.
You know,
we speak of
what we know
and we testify
to what we have seen.
John had seen
some things
about Jesus
that God
had revealed to him.
He was a true
prophet of the Lord.
And his purpose,
John has already told us,
was to testify
to what he
had seen
about Jesus,
what the Lord
revealed to him
about Jesus.
And so perhaps
he is included
by Jesus
in this statement.
But either way,
let's not miss
what is present here.
At the very least,
Jesus is referring
to himself.
You can almost read
that right into the words.
Very truly,
I tell you,
I speak
of what I know
and I testify
to what I have seen.
But still,
you do not
accept our testimony.
The word people
is not there
in the original.
It's actually you
plural.
We don't have that
in English.
Y'all would be
the closest
approximation.
So,
he's speaking
to Nicodemus
about Nicodemus,
but also about
his associates,
the Pharisees.
I tell you,
I speak to you
of what I know,
says Jesus.
I testify
to you
what I have seen.
But you,
Nicodemus,
do not accept
my testimony.
So there it is
right there.
Jesus has made it clear.
Nicodemus
has not accepted
his testimony.
And in case
there's any doubt,
in the next verse,
Jesus makes it
crystal clear.
He says it again
to Nicodemus.
I have spoken
to you
of earthly things
and you
do not believe.
How then
will you believe
if I speak
of heavenly things?
this is
an interesting
moment
in the conversation.
Maybe you've had
a conversation
or two
that has gone
this way
where you kind
of get to
this moment
where it's like
we can't really
go any further
unless we sort
this out.
That's kind
of the feeling
I get
as I hear
these words
of Jesus.
I've spoken
to you
of earthly things,
things that
pertain to earth,
what goes on
on earth
between man
and God
and things like that
and you do not
believe.
You haven't
believed the words
that I've said
to you.
And so
what's the point
of going on
and talking
about heavenly
realities
if you don't
even believe
the words I say
about the earthly
realities?
It's a pretty
stern thing
to say
but what's
crystal clear
is Jesus'
statement
Nicodemus
you do not
believe.
You have not
believed
the things
that I have
said.
So Jesus
does know
what is in
a man.
He knows
what's in
the heart
and mind
of this
particular
man
Nicodemus.
Nicodemus
came
saying
we know
that you're
from God.
He seems
in one sense
to be
someone who
believes
but Jesus
knows
Nicodemus'
heart.
He knows
that deep
down
he does
not accept
the testimony
that Jesus
has given.
He does
not believe
that he
is
the Messiah.
God
has given
this
knowledge.
That's
the big
question.
How can
he know
well enough
to tell
a man
what's
going on
in his
own heart
and his
own mind
that whether
he believes
or not
whether
he's a
true
believer
or not
my mind goes back to these words spoken through the prophet jeremiah the heart is deceitful
above all things and beyond cure who can understand it
that's the way the human heart is says the lord who can understand it nobody
can understand what's really going on in the human heart especially of another person
and there's even the sense in this passage the heart is deceitful
in which we we don't even understand fully what's going on in our own hearts
but the amazing thing about god is this he says i the lord i
yahweh search the heart and examine the mind
he knows what's going on in the hearts of people he's god
and jesus also has this knowledge he knows what's going on in man
so what's going on here jesus will say this later in john we're not there yet but
jesus says in john 10 verse 37 and 38 he says do not believe me
unless i do the works of my father if i do them believe the works that you may know
and understand that the father is in me and i in the father
so jesus
he's talking about his oneness with god
i am in god the father
he is in me
there's a oneness there
and the evidence of that is that we do the same things
i do the works of my father
the lord god searches the heart and mind
of man
he knows what's in a man
and you've seen
that i do too
it's evidence
it points to who jesus is that he is not just a man
he is as john has been telling us
the son of god
he is
the word who was god
and then became flesh
and came
to live among us
from there jesus goes into
he he says this
this really
i think we call it a crazy thing
it's it's it's a wonderful thing in verse 13
he says to nicodemus
no one has ever gone into heaven except
the one who came from heaven
the son of man
now why does jesus say this
it's kind of an interesting thing to say
but if we think back on what
jesus has been saying
he's been saying
i know
about earthly things
and i know about heavenly things
he's been saying
i i i speak
what i know
i testify to what i have seen
and i could speak to you nicodemus
about heavenly things
i could speak to you about earthly things
how do you have that knowledge
how do you know
heavenly things
i think this is part of the answer
that jesus gives
he says no one has ever gone into heaven
no man has ever gone
into heaven
and and been there in the heavenly realms
we could talk about
the prophets having visions
you know
they they saw glimpses of heaven
but nobody's
like been there
in the heavenly realm
to see it
nobody says
has ascended
is it kind of the literal
the word
gone up
into heaven
no mere man has done that
but there is one
says jesus
who has come down
from heaven
and i think part of the implication there is
i know about the things of heaven
i i can tell you about what i have seen
heavenly things
because i've been there
i've come down from heaven
that's how i can tell you
about those kinds of things
and i understand those kinds of things
no one has ever gone into heaven
except the one who came from heaven
the son of man
son of man is
is the title that jesus uses
to refer to himself
a number of times
this is how the conversation closes
and we looked at this at the lord's table last sunday
what i love about this
is that
nicodemus and jesus
there they are talking face to face
jesus is looking
nicodemus in the eyes
and all this while
as he talks to him
he knows that nicodemus
does not
accept the things he's saying
he knows that nicodemus
does not believe
what he's saying
he doesn't consider it to be true
and yet at the end of the conversation
this is what he says
he gives nicodemus
yet another gracious opportunity
to believe
you're going to see something nicodemus
i'm going to give you one more sign
to watch out for
and to look for
that will show you
that will
that will help you see
that i am
the son of man
the one who has come down from heaven
and the sign was this
we talked about it last sunday
that he would be lifted up
on a pole or on a cross
so that whoever looks to him
might be saved
just like
the old testament story
when god sent those venomous snakes
among the people
they were to look
to the snake on the pole
and if they did that
they would be saved
the same kind of thing
is going to happen with me
nicodemus
watch for it
those who believe
as in truly believe
may have eternal life
the question is
will nicodemus
believe
will he see the sign
will he recognize it
this is kind of where
the rubber hits the road
and we talked a little bit
about this in sunday school
touched on it
at a couple points
but
believing
versus truly believing
Jesus knows
what's in the heart
he knows what's in
your heart
he knows
whether
what we say
when we say
I believe
is genuine
or not
and true belief
is characterized
not just by saying
the words
we know
that you are a teacher
who has come from God
but by truly
accepting
the words
that Christ
has said
receiving
his testimony
considering
the very words
that he said
is true
this is the big question
if nicodemus
believes
that Jesus
has come from God
as a teacher
then the implication
is that he should
listen to him
because Jesus
speaks
God's words
he should
obey
and do the things
that Jesus
tells him to do
and yet
Jesus
he knows
that nicodemus
does not truly
believe
he recognizes
that
that perhaps
he has come from God
because no one
could do these
kinds of things
otherwise
but he's not
willing
to
to take that
next step
and to
actually
consider
yes
you are
the Messiah
he does not
believe
yet
we'll have to
find out
later on
in the gospel
how
this story
goes with
nicodemus
does he
end up
becoming a believer
or not
but there's a
word here
for us
I think
Jesus
knows
not just
what goes
on in
nicodemus
his heart
he knows
what goes
on in
your heart
in my
heart
he knows
what's
in a
man
some
people
they're
tough
to read
it's
tough
to get
a sense
on
the kind
of person
they are
some people
are really
good at
keeping their
cards
close
at putting
on a
good show
and we
wonder about
them
sometimes
Jesus
doesn't have
that problem
he knows
what's in
a man
he knows
you
he knows
what's in
your heart
he knows
what's
what you've
buried
deep down
beneath
the surface
the things
that you'd
maybe
not like
others
to see
he sees
that
he is
the Lord
he searches
your heart
my heart
he knows
our thoughts
he doesn't
need
anybody
to
tell him
about you
he knows
you
this is
an awesome
reality
of who
Jesus is
but it's
also a
precious
one
it's
awesome
you might
even say
that it
causes us
to tremble
because we
know that
there will
come a
day
when the
Lord
Jesus
will come
and he
will judge
this world
in righteousness
as he said
in another
place
what we've
whispered
in the
dark
corner
of our
room
will be
proclaimed
from the
rooftops
everything
will be
exposed
and made
known
our secret
thoughts
and desires
every action
every deed
we can't
hide anything
from him
and that's
something that
should cause
us to
tremble
but there's
another side
to this
that Jesus
knows
what is
going on
in our
hearts
is also
precious
it doesn't
matter
what you're
going through
doesn't matter
what difficulty
or trial
you face
what kind
of grief
you have
in your
heart
Jesus
knows
how you
feel
he
understands
he sees
that
and you're
not alone
in that
and that's
a precious
reality
for those
of us
who believe
we may
tremble
at the
thought
that Jesus
knows
our sin
but let's
not forget
that he
has come
to be
the lamb
of God
which takes
away
our sins
and it
is sweet
it is
precious
that he
is with
us
through
whatever
we go
through
he knows
it
he knows
how we
feel
we're
not
alone
it may
seem
at times
like other
people just
don't get
what I
feel
or what's
going on
in my
heart
but there
is one
who does
the Lord
Jesus
this is
an awesome
and a
precious
reality
Jesus
does not
need
anybody
to tell
him about
you
or me
because he
knows you
and me
inside and
out
let's
pray
father in
heaven
we thank
you that
you have
given us
this word
and it
does strike
to the
heart
to our
hearts
thank you
that you
are a
glorious
God
and that
your son
Jesus
is glorious
as well
thank you
that you
are with
us
through
all things
that you
know us
Lord we
ask that
you would
just continue
to
to grow
our love
for you
to help
us see
how we
can continue
to live
in light
of these
things
that are
true of
you
and also
how we
can declare
your glory
and help
others to
see it
too
we love
you
we pray
this in
Jesus name
amen