1. A conversation between two teachers
Jesus and Nicodemus
A conversation between two teachers

2. John 3:1-3
There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him,

3. John 7:25-27
Now some of them from Jerusalem said, "Is this not He whom they seek to kill? But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ? However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from."

4. John 7:28-30
Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, "You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me."
Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.

5. John 7:31-32
And many of the people believed in Him, and said, "When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?"
The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him.

6. John 7:45-49
Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why have you not brought Him?"
The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this Man!" Then the Pharisees answered them, "Are you also deceived? Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed."

7. John 7:50-53
Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, "Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?" They answered and said to him, "Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee."
And everyone went to his own house.

8. John 19:38-39
After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus. And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.

9. John 19:40-42
Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews' Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.

10. John 3:1-3
There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him,
"Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

11. John 3:4-7
Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"
Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'

12. John 3:8-10
"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
Nicodemus answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?"
Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?"

13. John 3:11-13
"Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.

14. John 3:14-16
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

15. 2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

16. John 3:17-18
"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

17. John 3:19
"And this is the condemnation,

18. "And this is the condemnation..."
THE WORST PLIGHT
"And this is the condemnation..."
Salvation is for those who accept Jesus Christ.

19. John 3:16-17
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

20. "... this is the condemnation..."
THE WORST PLIGHT
"... this is the condemnation..."
Salvation is for those who accept Christ.
Condemnation is for those who reject Christ.

21. John 3:18
He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

22. "... this is the condemnation..."
THE WORST PLIGHT
"... this is the condemnation..."
Salvation is for those who accept Christ.
Condemnation is for those who reject Christ.
The lost pass judgment on themselves.

23. Acts 13:44-46
On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul. Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, "It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles."

24. "... this is the condemnation..."
THE WORST PLIGHT
"... this is the condemnation..."
Salvation is for those who accept Christ.
Condemnation is for those who reject Christ.
The lost pass judgment on themselves.
There is no condemnation to those in Christ.

25. Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

26. John 3:19
"And this is the condemnation,

27. John 3:19
"And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world,

28. "... that the light has come into the world..."
THE GREATEST BLESSING
"... that the light has come into the world..."
Christ is the personification of the light.

29. John 8:12
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

30. "... that the light has come into the world..."
THE GREATEST BLESSING
"... that the light has come into the world..."
Christ is the personification of the light.
Light is revealed in the gospel.

31. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4
But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

32. John 3:19
"And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world,

33. John 3:19
"And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light,

34. THE MOST DISASTROUS DECISION
"... and men loved darkness rather than light..."
Darkness represents ignorance of truth.

35. 2 Corinthians 4:6
For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

36. THE MOST DISASTROUS DECISION
"... and men loved darkness rather than light..."
Darkness represents ignorance of truth.
Works of darkness are to be cast off.

37. Romans 13:12-14
The night is far spent, the day is at hand. There-fore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

38. THE MOST DISASTROUS DECISION
"... and men loved darkness rather than light..."
Darkness represents ignorance of truth.
Works of darkness are to be put off.
The value of the right decision can be seen in the choice of Moses.

39. Hebrews 11:24-26
By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

40. John 3:19
"And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light,

41. John 3:19
"And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

42. "... because their deeds were evil..."
THE UNHOLIEST MOTIVE
"... because their deeds were evil..."
They do not want their deeds exposed.

43. John 3:20-21
For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

44. "... because their deeds were evil..."
THE UNHOLIEST MOTIVE
"... because their deeds were evil..."
They do not want their deeds exposed.
Evil deeds come from an evil heart.

45. Mark 7:21-23
"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewd-ness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man."

46. HOW ABOUT YOU? Are you in the worst plight,
having made the most disastrous decision
from the unholiest motive?
Won't you accept the greatest blessing?