Sam’s Real Need
John 4:1-19

Three Strikes

• John 4
  • Vs 4 – Jesus to Galilee through Samaria
    
  • Vs 7 – Jesus speaking to a woman
    
  • Vs 9 – Jesus dealing with a Samaritan

Characters Encountered

• John the Baptist
  
  • Son of Light
    
  • Kingdom of Heaven
    
• Mary
  
  • Holy Ghost Party – God of Covenant
    
• Nicodemus
  
  • Nic @ Night – Start from the top!
    
  • God of our weakness

Nic and Sam

• Nic was looking – hopeful
  
• Sam had quit looking – hopeless
  
• Nic thought he knew the answer – perplexed
  
• Sam thought the answer could not be known – agnostic
  
• Nic was trying to reinforce his beliefs – religious
  
• Sam was trying to justify or reinforce her beliefs – religious
  
• Nic was confident but confused
  
• Sam was arrogant and confused.

Nicodemus’ Hope
John 3:1-21

Three Encounters with Nicodemus:

• John 3:1-21 – Afraid of being discovered, Nicodemus made a night appointment.
  
• John 7:50-52 – Nicodemus next appears as part of the Jewish council.
  
• John 19:39-40 – Our last picture of Nicodemus shows him joining Joseph of Arimathea in asking for Jesus’ body in order to provide for its burial.

Nicodemus’ Hopelessness

• Nic @ Night – Part 2
  
• A weary religious leader!
  
  • They not only had the Ten Commandments but these were expanded to 613 commandments and 365 prohibitions and many hundreds of lesser injunctions that people had to follow.
    
• Jesus had become a stumbling block to him.
  
• Jesus ministered to him right where he was…

Nicodemus’ Perspective

• The kingdom?
  
  • Ruled by God, a restoration, of God’s people
    
• Jesus revealed to this devout Pharisee that the kingdom would come to the whole world
  
  • John 3:16, not just the Jews
    
  • Nicodemus wouldn’t be a part of it unless he was personally born again (John 3:5)
    
• Jesus later taught that God’s kingdom has already begun in the hearts of believers (Luke 17:21) to be realized at His return (Revelation 21 &. 22)
• Ezekiel 36:25-27
• Numbers 21:6-9

Layers Surrounding Our Weakness

• Weary in Shame
  
• Wicked in Sin
  
• Wounded in Situations
  
• Weakness in Self

• Weary in Shame
  
  • First, we face shame in the struggle
    
  • We feel bad about the problem in our life
    
  • Attempt to hide it from others
    
  • We pretend we are fine even though we know we are not!
• F.I.N.E. = Our conditioned response: “I’m Fine” (Possible acronyms)
  

  Feelings	Freaked out
  Inside	Insecure
  Never	Neurotic
  Expressed	Emotional

• 
• Strength In Weakness
  by Andrew Comiskey

‘How can a man be born when he is old?’ Nicodemus asked.
‘Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!’
John 3:4

Nic @ Night
John 3:1-10

A Self-Revealing God

• The revelation of God in the Gospel of John
  
• We see the heart of God in His general and special revelation
  
  • Romans 1:17-20
    
  • The special revelation of His Word more specifically reveals His moral character.
    
• The Gospel of John reveals the Divine perspective of Jesus ministry

There are only two kinds of people – those who say “Thy will be done” to God or those to whom God in the end says, “Thy will be done.”
--- C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain, The Great Divorce

Three Encounters with Nicodemus:

• John 3:1-21 – Afraid of being discovered, Nicodemus made a night appointment.
  
• John 7:50-52 – Nicodemus next appears as part of the Jewish council.
  
• John 19:39-40 – Our last picture of Nicodemus shows him joining Joseph of Arimathea in asking for Jesus’ body in order to provide for its burial.

Nicodemus Perspective
Ezekiel 36:25-27
Titus 3:4-7

Jesus is lightening!

Jesus is lightning, Christianity is a 110 volt receptacle.
Footsteps In The Sea by Ed Chinn

‘How can a man be born when he is old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!’
John 3:4

Holy Ghost Party
John 2:1-11

Can I Get A Witness?

• In a time of insecurity and a spirit of lack you will see that:
  
  • Jesus is the Answer!
    
  • God is still on the throne!
    
• Today we are going to see the ongoing revelation of God to Mary, Jesus’ mother.
  
• From John the Baptist’s Messianic proclamation to Mary’s practical request.

A Self-Revealing God

• The revelation of God in the Gospel of John
  
• John the Baptist revealed to us:
  
  • the “Son of Light”
    
  • the “Kingdom of Heaven”
    
• We want to see and know God more through the gospel stories.
  
• The Gospel of John reveals the Divine perspective of Jesus ministry.

Can I Get A Witness?

• If I were to ask you questions about God;
  
  • Where is God?
    
  • How powerful do you think God is?
    
  • How much do you think God knows?
    
  • What does God look like?
    
  • How do we know ANY of these answers?
    
• We only know that which God reveals to us!
  
• If God had not shown us His ways, His creation, His intention, we would be clueless!

Water Into Wine! John 2:1-11

• Considered Jesus first ministry sign or miracle
  
• Previous signs included:
  
  • Prophetic anticipations (Magi, Simeon, Anna)
    
  • The Star of Bethlehem
    
  • John the Baptist’s ministry and recognition
    
  • Spirit descending as a dove and the Father’s affirmation at Jesus’ baptism
    
• Following His introduction by John the Baptist and subsequent wilderness experience.
• This miracle was an expression of provision
  
  • Remember the Jewish expectations for Messiah
    
  • Reestablish the ancient Kingdom of Israel
    
• Mary was very familiar with the promises noted in her “Magnificat” in Luke 1:46-55
  
  • Mary’s need and expectation for a Savior
    
  • As in Hannah’s prayer – “He lifts the poor from the dust and sets them with princes.”
    
• The compassionate desire for needs to be met.
  
• Remember the covenantal promises of loyalty, provision and protection
• This miracle was a revelation of abundance!
  
  • The BEST wine!
    
• Six jars of water - proportioned to the number of the guests.
  
• Amount: 6 water jars of 20 to 30 gallons each
  
  • 120 to 180 gallons (480 – 720 quarts)
    
• Contrast of Mary & John the Baptist – Jesus asked “What did you go out to the desert to see?”
  
• Mary was unaware of Jesus temptation of provision – stones into bread.
• Inviting Jesus
  
  • In Vs 4, Jesus literal words to Mary sound brusque to a meddling mother. (A Hebrew idiom)
    
  • An alternate translation could be, “Dear woman, why do you involve me?”
    
  • The Message Bible “Is that any of our business, Mother – yours or mine? This isn’t my time, don’t rush me.”
    
  • He used the same word when speaking to her with affection from the cross
    
• These words are a standing testimony against the idolatry of undue honors to his mother.
  
• “Selective hearing” & “Emotional distancing!”
• “Not My time” – God’s time is always on time.
  
  • We always find fault with the Divine providence.
    
  • According to us, God never does any thing in due time—He is too early or too late.
    
• It was not yet His time to provide for all the needs of the world’s people through His sacrificial death, but this miracle was a sign that messianic times had arrived.
  
  • Joel 3:13
    
  • Amos 9:13-14

Whatever He says to you, do it.
John 2:5

Kingdom of Heaven

He must increase, but I must decrease.
John 3:30

A Rush of Revelation

• John 1:6-13
  
• Isaiah before the throne of God in chapter 6
  
• The fisherman, Peter, after Jesus preaches from his boat told him to set out and cast out his nets following a night with no catch.
  
• John the Baptist at Jesus’ appearance at the river.
  
• Our God is a self-revealing God!

Can I Get A Witness?

• John 1:19-34 The testimony of John
  
  • The Gospel of John allows us to gain a greater revelation of God and His gospel in each character.
• Jesus is our model for perfect life, but we cannot live this life without a revelation of His grace and provision!
• We need a revelation of His perfect life for us!

He must increase, I must decrease.
John 3:30