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BIBLESTUDY

The Crux • Chapter 2 • Who Is and Why Did He Come? (:1-21)

What’s This Passage All About? The Big Picture Last time, we examined the story of and and the brokenness that came as a result The Big Picture of their sin. Before there was harmony; now chaos and brokenness reign—between and humankind, between certain members of humankind and others, between humankind and talks to creation itself, and within each member of humankind. Most men and women experience the Jesus about some emptiness that comes from this brokenness. In this study, we introduce the solution to this of the most problem—Jesus. intriguing questions of His day and This passage from the of John explores Jesus’ identity and purpose through a ours—who is Jesus conversation He has with a Jewish teacher named Nicodemus. After Jesus performed signs or and why did He miracles, Nicodemus comes to Jesus. They discuss how to enter the kingdom and why Jesus come. has come into the world.

A context Throughout history, the Jewish people were acutely aware of the need to fix the problem of sin that had begun in the garden. They waited for the day when God would make everything right and fix the chaos in humankind and in nature. In particular, they were waiting for a messiah. Messiah in Hebrew means anointed one and refers to the anointing of a king. They envisioned a day when God would send a new messiah or king who would resolve the problems that started with Adam and Eve.

The messiah and the (John 3:1-2) The tells us that Nicodemus was a “man of the Pharisees” (John 3:1). The Pharisees were a prominent group of teachers at the time of Jesus. They eagerly awaited the coming of the messiah and believed that he could come at any moment. They attempted to live out the Jewish law to the fullest extent while they waited for the messiah to come.

In the , Jesus slowly reveals Himself to be this messiah to the Jewish people, but some Jews, including the Pharisees, have a hard time accepting Jesus’ kingship and question His teachings. One of the promises of the messiah was the signs or miracles that he would do. Just before this passage, Jesus teaches in the Jewish temple. The teachers there question Him by asking, “What sign have you to show us for doing this?” (John 2:18). Then, in John 2:23-25, Jesus performs many signs and some of the Jews believe in Him.

In the dark Nicodemus enters the conversation with Jesus as a Pharisee and as one who believed in the signs that Jesus performed. We are told that he comes by night in order to avoid persecution and calls Jesus a “man of God” (John 3:2). He courageously tries to investigate who Jesus is because of the signs that Jesus performed (John 3:2; 2:23).

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Bible Study The Crux • Chapter 2 • Who Is Jesus and Why Did He Come? 2 And yet, their conversation reveals more about Nicodemus’ character. Nicodemus is interested in what Jesus has to say but remains skeptical. At the heart of their conversation, Jesus and Nicodemus discuss the kingdom of God that the Pharisees were waiting for. Specifically, Jesus (as King) tells Nicodemus how to enter this kingdom by being born again through water and Spirit (a reference to ).

Born again But Nicodemus fails to understand what Jesus is saying. Rather than accepting the teaching and trying to understand, Nicodemus challenges the validity of the teaching—“How can a man Application be born when he is old?” (John 3:4). He has seen the signs that Jesus has done and yet still will to Jesus not put his full trust into what Jesus is saying. Jesus points out the key problem, that Nicodemus fails to get beyond the flesh or the natural world to see the work of the Spirit (John Ultimately, Jesus is 3:6). Because of this, Nicodemus cannot understand what Jesus is saying. Nicodemus does not sent to us because trust the signs that he has seen or the testimony that he has heard (Jesus’ reference to “our of the love of the testimony” in John 3:11 refers to the testimony of Jesus and ). Father. It is Jesus who saves us. For God so loved the world Jesus makes a bold claim in order to establish credibility and authority with Nicodemus—He has descended from heaven. Jesus has descended from heaven and then will be lifted up. Jesus refers to a story about Moses. During the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt, the people were bitten by serpents. In order for them to be healed and their lives to be saved, Moses erected a golden Application serpent for the people. Whoever looked upon the serpent would be healed. Jesus takes this to Our Lives analogy and uses it to provide the reason that He is here on earth—He will be lifted up (on the Are we open to cross) and whoever believes in Him will have eternal life. seeing the spiritual side of life? Jesus Jesus then utters one of the most famous verses in the , John 3:16—“For God so loved the grants us the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have opportunity to eternal life.” It has become famous because of its ability to state succinctly the reason why the come out of the Father sent Jesus into the world—not to condemn it but to save it. This is the revolutionary darkness and into point for our culture. There are people who associate with a condemnation to hell. the light.Application Here, Jesus notes that this is not His intention at all. He has come not to condemn but to save. to Jesus

Why does the world reject Jesus? So, if Jesus came to save, why does the world reject Him? Jesus gives a direct answer—the world loves the darkness instead of the light (John 3:19). They mistakenly prefer condemnation over salvation. They are unwilling to have their lives and works exposed in the light and so they stay there in the darkness (John 3:20). In a subtle way, Jesus is also speaking of Nicodemus’ actions in the darkness. Nicodemus must not be afraid to let them be exposed.

At the end of the passage, Jesus connects with the theme of sin and brokenness, which was in the last chapter of our study. Many people are given the opportunity to leave the brokenness and yet they do not because a part of them still ironically clings to this brokenness. Jesus comes not to just give us a free pass, but the opportunity to transform our lives from division and strife to wholeness and peace if we are willing to do so. But we have to make the decision to cross this line. We have to overcome our attachment to the darkness.

We will explore this theme more next time with the story of the Prodigal Son.

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Bible Study The Crux • Chapter 2 • Who Is Jesus and Why Did He Come? 3 Final analysis The goal of this chapter is to reveal some of the history and background behind Jesus in the Gospels. In some ways, the people in your study could be very much like Nicodemus. They have heard of Jesus and accept the invitation to hear more about Him. They know the miracles that He performed and how He rose from the dead, but they remain skeptical. Hopefully, through the questions of Nicodemus, they can courageously explore who Jesus is and why He came to earth. Through an exploration of the message of Jesus and His death and resurrection on the cross, they can come to trust Jesus fully just as Nicodemus did at the foot of the cross (:39).

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Bible Study The Crux • Chapter 2 • Who is Jesus and Why Did He Come? 4 DISCUSSION GUIDE FOR YOUR BIBLE STUDY

Opener Have you ever spent an extraordinary amount of time trying to figure out an answer to something? Perhaps you had a marathon watching of a TV show to see what happens in the end. Or, maybe you have googled a topic and did not stop until you found exactly what you were looking for.

Background Last time, we examined the story of Adam and Eve and the brokenness that came as a result of their sin. Throughout history, the Jewish people were acutely aware of the need to fix the problem of sin that began in the garden. They waited for the day when God would make everything right and fix the chaos in humankind and in nature. In particular, they were waiting for a messiah. Messiah in Hebrew means anointed one and refers to the anointing of a king. They envisioned a day when God would send a new messiah or king who would resolve the problems that began with Adam and Eve. One of the promises of the messiah was the signs or miracles that he would do.

In the Gospel of John, we explore Jesus’ identity and purpose through a conversation He has with a Jewish teacher named Nicodemus. After Jesus performed signs or miracles, Nicodemus comes to Jesus and they discuss how to enter the kingdom and why Jesus has come into the world.

Passage 11. What is Nicodemus’ reaction? Read John 3:1-21

12. What do you think about Nicodemus’ reaction? Is it Exploration understandable? John 3:1-2

1. From verses 1-2, what do we know about Nicodemus? 13. What does Jesus think about Nicodemus’ reaction?

2. From the background we read earlier about the 14. Why do you think Jesus feels this way? messiah and signs, what do we learn is so important about the fact that Jesus performs signs? 15. Do you think that there is something beyond this

material world? Explain. 3. Nicodemus’ conversation happens after an important exchange that Jesus has with the people in 16. Why do you think people believe in something beyond just before this passage. Read John 2:13-22. What is the this material world even though they cannot see it? reaction of the Jews to Jesus’ actions and teachings?

John 3:13-18 4. Read John 2:23-25. What does Jesus do after this 17. What does Jesus say about who He is and why He is conversation in the Temple? here?

5. In general, why do you think people look for signs 18. John 3:16 is one of the most famous verses in the when it comes to believing in something? Bible. Often at sporting events, you will see people hold up

signs with this verse on it. Why do you think this verse is 6. How can signs be helpful in believing in something? used so often?

7. How can signs hinder belief? 19. Why does Jesus say people do not accept Him?

8. At the end of John, chapter 2, why does Jesus not 20. Why does He say people choose darkness instead of entrust Himself to the people who believe in Him? light?

9. What does this say about their faith? 21. What does this say about a person’s role in accepting

Jesus Christ and Christianity? John 3:3-12 10. What are Jesus and Nicodemus talking about? Continued on page 5

Bible Study The Crux • Chapter 2 • Who is Jesus and Why Did He Come? 5

Answers 11. Nicodemus does not understand what Jesus is

1. We know that Nicodemus is a man of the Pharisees, talking about. Rather than asking Him questions to that he comes to Jesus at night, and that he believes try to understand better, Nicodemus seems to Jesus is a man of God because of the signs He performs. question and challenge what Jesus is saying.

2. The Jewish people expected the messiah to perform 12. Allow the group to discuss this. signs. 13. Jesus challenges Nicodemus to trust in Him. 3. They want to know what signs He can perform to back up His words. 14. Jesus notes the signs and testimony that Nicodemus has seen. Nicodemus needs to use 4. Jesus performs signs. these to believe in something beyond what he can see. 5. Allow the group to discuss this. 15. Allow the group to discuss this. 6. Allow the group to discuss this. An example of an answer is, signs give us some evidence to believe. 16. Allow the group to discuss this.

7. Allow the group to discuss this. An example of an 17. Jesus is sent by His father out of love in order to answer is, we can rely on signs too much. save the world, not to condemn it.

8. Jesus does not trust them. 18. Allow the group to discuss this. An example of an answer is: The verse sums up why Jesus came 9. Their faith might have only been because of the signs. into this world.

10. If Jesus is the messiah-king, then He will have a 19. The people wish to choose the darkness instead kingdom. Jesus is telling Nicodemus how to enter this of the light. kingdom. Jesus tells him that he has to be born again through water and Spirit. This is a reference to Baptism. 20. They don’t want their actions to be exposed.

21. Our belief in Jesus involves changing who we are and how we act.

End

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