Greg Chaney

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Sermon Audio: Nicodemus

2 Min read
[audio:http://www.gregchaney.com/wordpress/audio/0613_174059.MP3]

Nicodemus

When:  Sometime after he cleared the temple

Who:  Ruler on the Jewish ruling council (71 members tasked the elite) V1

  • “As under the Greek rulers the Jews were allowed a large measure of self-government, many points of civil and religious administration fell to the lot of the high priests and the gerousía to settle. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13444a.htm “
  • “Teacher of Israel”  v10 Only the most trained became teachers of the Law in general, the ruling council, and certainly “Teacher of Israel.
  • the Jewish Encyclopedia and many Biblical historians have theorized that he is identical to Nicodemus ben Gurion, mentioned in the Talmud as a wealthy and popular holy man reputed to have had miraculous powers.
  • Sanhedrin…put Jesus to death

Motivation:

  • Sent by the ruling council “we know” to address the incident in the temple (Sadducees were the target)
  • Possibly sent to recruit him
  • Inspired by his message…a prodigy recognized by a Jewish master. ILLUSTRATION: The master musician and the hillbilly prodigy

[SEGUE NOTE:  Regardless of the motivation Nicodemus becomes flustered with Jesus’ answer to a question he never asked.)

The Message:

v3-5 The kingdom is experienced by rebirth not reform ILLUSTRATION:  The president of a college of theology

v5-8 Rebirth is spiritual not physical

  • ILLUSTRATION: Jewish ceremonial rebirths.
  • The Jews were fixated on the Messiah coming as a physical King of Israel (Triumphal entry)
  • Pharisees were the experts in external

v13- 14Jesus is not from God he is God (Jesus finally answers implied question) Jesus must be lifted up on the cross (compare to Moses in Numbers 21)

Conclusion (The Cameos)

John 7:45-52 Nicodemus, knowing the law risks retribution to defend  Jesus but was not yet willing to give up his status

John 19:38-42 Nicodemus gives Jesus the burial of a king

Call

John 3:16:  The message to Nicodemus is clear Jesus isn’t  just from God he is God.  He was lifted on the cross so that whoever like Jews on the serpent gazes on it will be saved through a rebirth through the spiritual cleansing of baptism.  Our rebirth isn’t just a new addition to our life or a way to reform it…we die to the old life.  If Nicodemus can do it so can we.

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A Daring Adventure or Nothing

1 Min read

Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure.

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.

Helen Keller

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Nicodemus

1 Min read

John 3:16:  The message to Nicodemus is clear Jesus isn’t  just from God he is God.  He was lifted on the cross so that whoever like Jews on the serpent gazes on it will be saved through a rebirth through the spiritual cleansing of baptism.  Our rebirth isn’t just a new addition to our life or a way to reform it…we die to the old life.  If Nicodemus can do it so can we. Link to sermon notes

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Sermon Audio: The Journey

1 Min read

Sermon Audio “The Journey”

When the Israelites stood at the far side of the Red Sea they had escaped certain death and were delivered to life by the hand of God, but their journey wasn’t over.  The Israelites wandered through the wilderness before reaching their promise, and it wasn’t always pretty.  At times God’s anger burned toward them but in the end both He and they looked back their wanderings with fondness.

The Israelite’s story is our story.  When we stand at the banks of our salvation we have to know that our spiritual journey is not over, it’s only beginning.  We will journey through the wilderness of our lives and like the Israelites, Christian wilderness travelers trust God, need each other, look for God’s glory, and never turn back.

Exodus 14, Exodus 33, Jeremiah 2:1-2, Psalms 103, Luke 9:23, Matthew 22:36-40, 1 John 1:7, Philippians 3:12-14

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Deity Who Takes Attendance

1 Min read

“I don’t object to the concept of a deity but I’m baffled by the notion of one who takes attendance.” Amy Farah Fowler

“Then you might want to avoid east Texas” Sheldon Cooper

The Big Bang Theory episode 66 “The Lunar Excitation”

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The Journey

1 Min read

When the Israelites stood at the far side of the Red Sea they had escaped certain death and were delivered to life by the hand of God, but their journey wasn’t over.  The Israelites wandered through the wilderness before reaching their promise, and it wasn’t always pretty.  At times God’s anger burned toward them but in the end both He and they looked back their wanderings with fondness.

The Israelite’s story is our story.  When we stand at the banks of our salvation we have to know that our spiritual journey is not over, it’s only beginning.  We will journey through the wilderness of our lives and like the Israelites, Christian wilderness travelers trust God, need each other, look for God’s glory, and never turn back.  Link to Notes

Exodus 14, Exodus 33, Jeremiah 2:1-2, Psalms 103, Luke 9:23, Matthew 22:36-40, 1 John 1:7, Philippians 3:12-14

 

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Bible Class: Defining the Kingdom of Heaven (God)

6 Min read

Bible Class Audio May 23, 2010 “Kingdom of God (Part 2)

Bible Class Audio May 16, 2010 “Kingdom of God (Part 1)

“From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 4:17 (TNIV)

1.  A Central Theme of Jesus Teachings

The Kingdom of heaven is a central theme in the teachings of Jesus throughout his ministry.  It’s difficult to gain the deeper faith and understanding from his message without understanding the kingdom message first.

As you discover the depth to which the kingdom of God message is infused into the preaching of Jesus and the Apostles you have to wonder where in our church history was that message lost?  If it was so central to the original message, why did we water it down?

“It may be said that the teaching of Jesus concerning the Kingdom of God represents his whole teaching. It is the main, determinative subject of all his discourse. His ethics were ethics of the Kingdom; his theology was theology of the Kingdom; his teaching regarding himself cannot be understood apart from his interpretation of the Kingdom of God” (Dr. F. C. Grant, from “The Gospel of the Kingdom,” Biblical World, 50, pp. 121-191).

The gospel  (good news) message is still preached proudly, something from which we can never stray.  Jesus is the salvation for the world, He is the final sacrifice for sins, He was crucified and buried in a tomb, He was triumphant over death, He is the mediator of the new covenant.  What has been lost I’m afraid is the rest of the story, that Jesus has redeemed us into the Kingdom of God.  As Jesus said,

“The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached…” (Luke 16:16 TNIV) (more…)

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Bible Class: Jesus the Rabbi and the Talmidim

2 Min read

Bible Class Audio May 9, 2010 “Jesus and the Talmidin”

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

1.  Galilee – The most religious Jews in the world, a place of intense study of scripture (Torah and Mishnah)

2.  Jewish Education:

At five years old [one is fit] for the Scripture, at ten years the Mishnah (oral Torah, interpretations) at thirteen for the fulfilling of the commandments, at fifteen the Talmud (making Rabbinic interpretations), at eighteen the bride-chamber, at twenty pursuing a vocation, at thirty for authority (able to teach others) Aboth 5:21, The Mishnah, Herbert Danby, ed., Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1985

  • Beth Sefer – (elementary school) All Jewish children attended, focused on the Torah and memorization
  • Beth Midrash – (Secondary School) Only the best children attended after learning a trade, began to learn interpretations of the Mishnah (Oral Torah) Luke 2:41
  • Talmidin – Very few of the Beth Midrash students sought permission to follow a Rabbi with S’mikhah
  • The education of Jesus:  Grew in wisdom – Luke 2:52, Participated in Passover – Luke 2:41, Learned a trade Matthew – 13:55, spent time with John the Baptist -John 22-26, Began his ministry about thirty – Luke 3:23

3.  The Rabbi (Teacher of the Law, Scribe)

  • Taught in the Synagogue, Beth Sefer, Beth Midrash
  • Teachers of the Law could only teach accepted interpretations
  • Those with authority (S’mikhah) could make new interpretations and pass legal judgments Matthew 7:28-29
  • Authority must be confirmed by the witness of two other rabbis

4.  The Talmid (Disciples)

  • Disciples would “Yoke” to a Rabbi
  • “be covered with the dust of his feet
  • Followed, learned, imitated, devoted

Next Week: The Kingdom of Heaven “From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.'” Matthew 4:17

Links to resources:

Life of Jesus in the First Century Context

Religious Leaders in Jesus Day

Wikipedia on the Mishnah

Rabbi and Talmidim

Jesus as Rabbi

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Starting at Zero

5 Min read

About an hour into my four hour journey home on Wednesday March 10, 2009, it occurred to me that the clothes on my back and the few things in my truck were what I had.  My thinking changed from “How bad is it?” to “What’s the recovery plan?” to “What did I have in that house?” More slowly than you might think an understanding of the situation crept up on me:  we were going to be starting at zero. (more…)

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Greg Chaney