 So, yeah, it has a comment here. Yeah, thank you. Thank you. That's I'm blessed and encouraged to hear that. Glory to God. Yes. Okay. So, yeah, so we will proceed. So, we have seen how Jesus talks about being born again as a spiritual activity done by the spirit of God and the results are also observed later. So, in that moment, the spirit man is born again. You become a new creation in Christ, but that life of the spirit that is demonstrated. So, the effects of the wind, the work of the spirit is seen in a born again person's life. Okay. And we can say that about so many people. Even ourselves, when we were not born again, our life was very different, but a true work of the spirit when it got done in our lives, something changed. And the effect of that, the life that we started living after that was so different. So, Jesus is explaining this to Nicodemus that it is a spiritual activity. Now, Nicodemus answers and he says, how can these things be? Then Jesus is, you know, kind of looking at him and saying, look, you are a teacher, right? You are a teacher of Israel and you don't know these things. 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. So, once again, Jesus is helping Nicodemus see the truth, the truth about God's redemptive work, the truth about a new life which he can have and also the truth about the Holy Spirit, his work and the truth about himself being the son of God. So, it seems like even after the explanation that Jesus gave Nicodemus, maybe he understood Holy Spirit, work of the Holy Spirit. That's what born again is. I should be a new person and that is possible only by the Holy Spirit. Then I can enter the kingdom of God. But being a teacher, because here Jesus points that out and says, look, you are a teacher, you already know a lot of spiritual things and yet there is a resistance. So, there was something inside Nicodemus where he was not ready to accept the truth of God's Word. And Jesus understood that. He said, come on, I'm telling you in plain words because I know what question you're asking. You want to know whether I'm the Messiah. I'm telling you, no one has ascended to heaven, but he who came down from heaven, that is the son of man who is in heaven. So, he's trying to tell him, you have found the answer. I am the answer. Can you accept it? But Nicodemus is struggling. It's so sad, right? We can know the Word of God, we can know the truth of God's Word and yet what is the main theme of the Bible? It talks about God. It talks about what God has done for us. It talks about Christ. So, like, you know, when we have just the study of the scriptures in a sort of an intellectual way, or just, I mean, you view it for the history, you view it for some good principles, insights and that's it. You refuse to see God in the scriptures. That's very sad. So, Jesus was trying to address that issue with Nicodemus and he's trying to say, look, I think the one that you need, if you want to enter the kingdom of God, you must be born again. But Nicodemus, he's not able to accept it. So, did Nicodemus actually go on to accepting Christ? Like, we really don't know because again, you know, in the Bible itself, we don't have any concrete information that tells us. Now, maybe in his lifetime, he would have responded sometime later, or maybe it was too difficult for him to give up his position and his point of view. But, you know, God reveals to Nicodemus that he is the Messiah, that he has come from heaven. Now, he adds to it and he says, 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. Now, this is like a type and shadow. Now, you recall in the book of Hebrews, it's there lots of types, shadows where in the Old Testament, you have something that reveals what God is going to fulfil in the New Testament. So, there was a time when the children of Israel were being bitten by serpents. But to save them, God gave Moses the instruction to raise up a bronze serpent. Serpent is usually an image of Satan. But in this case, you see a serpent being used in that bronze image, a serpent is being used. But that is actually talking about the judgment that God is going to, the judgment over Satan, because bronze is a symbol of judgment. So, basically God is saying, I'm just going to judge the enemy and the people will be saved. So, in the same way, we know that later on, Jesus hung on the cross and when the son of man lifted up, he drew all men to himself. So, eternal life has been promised. So, Jesus is trying to tell me that he must look, I have come here like that bronze serpent. The way it was lifted up and people were healed. When I die, people are going to be saved. And you can depend on that. I'm here to give you eternal life. It continues on to say, why did God plan this? Why did God plan to release life through the cross? Because God so loved the world. Is the world a wicked place? Yes, it got corrupted by sin and the hearts of the people were so evil towards God. And yet, we see here that God loves the world. So, what did he do as a demonstration of his love? So, you see that God gave his best, his only begotten son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. So, there is so much just in that one verse that God's love was demonstrated in his giving of his best gift, which is the son of God. Jesus is talking about himself that God has given. And he is telling Nicodemus, if you believe in me, you will not perish or the end of this physical life will not be the end. You will not perish in hell. You will not be separated from God but you will have everlasting life. You know everlasting life is like you will live on into eternity in relationship with God. And that is what God is offering to you, Nicodemus. And then he goes on to touching many other inside truths and providing insight. So, he says, for God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world. So, God is making it very clear that the reason Jesus came was for love. It was not to put people down. He came so that it says that the world through him might be saved. So, what is the purpose of the coming of the Savior? It is to save the world. And he says, how to receive of this saving that the Lord has done? Believe. He who believes in this Christ is not condemned. But he who does not believe is condemned already. So, when we do not believe, that is when opposite of saved is condemned. If we are not, it's like saying when it's raining, if you don't stand under the umbrella, you will get wet. So, stand under the umbrella, you be saved. Otherwise, you will be condemned. If you don't accept the work of God which has been done to protect, then you will be exposed to the consequences of sin and which leads to eternal condemnation. So, that is something Jesus is pointing out. And he's also sharing how the world is a place that loves darkness. We've seen this even in John chapter 1. No God has done so much. He has loved us. He has given his son to become a sacrifice. And yet, Jesus says, men love darkness rather than life. So, what does it say? You see the tendency of the flesh is sin unless the person is born again. Because once we are born again, the power of sin is broken on our lives. And we are able to appreciate the kingdom of God and the truth of the kingdom of God. But if we don't accept it, we continue in that sin and then we are not able to receive all the things of God. And we are walking in darkness. So, he says, God has done all this and yet men love darkness rather than life. He says, why is he saying that they love darkness? Because they are walking in evil things, practicing evil. And that is not a good thing. But he says these things, the evil things will be exposed by the light. But he who does the truth comes to the light that his deeds may be clearly seen that they have been done in God. But those who accept, those who walk in the truth, they are walking in righteousness. Now moving on, after these things, Jesus and his disciples, they came into the land of Judea and they stayed there. He remained with the disciples and baptized. But at the same time, John the Baptist, we met John the Baptist earlier in chapter 1 and again John the Baptist in chapter 3 here. And he is doing his work, which is baptizing people unto repentance. So he continues to do that. So what happens at that point is that there is some kind of an argument or a disagreement between John the Baptist and the Jews. Now what is the issue for them to argue that is not presented here? But there seems to have been some argument which they had. And then we notice that the disciples of John, they come to him and they say, teacher, he was with you beyond Jordan, which is Jesus. To whom you have testified, behold, he is baptizing and all are coming to him. So John's disciples are telling, look, we are noticing this about Jesus. That he is also baptizing and people are going to him. So it's like competition. What do we do now? Because you are somebody who is baptizing and we should be getting people here. But there are people who are going to Jesus. Now what to do? So John, you know, one good thing about John is, John knows his identity. Remember he said that he has come to prepare the way. He says, I'm not a messiah, but Christ is the messiah and I'm not even worthy enough to loosen his standard straps. So John knows his exact position and you see the heart of a worshipper in John the Baptist. So then the disciples come and say, look, we have competition. Jesus is also baptizing. Then John tells them, look, a man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him. So what does John say? John is clarifying to the disciples and saying, he's the messiah. Heaven has decided whatever heaven gives only that we can receive. So heaven has already decided that I am just someone who is sent before the messiah. But yes, it is Jesus who is the messiah. So earlier also when John pointed out, we said that people followed, right? John said that, see, this is the messiah and the moment he introduced Jesus, John's disciples became Jesus' disciples. But John was happy about it. So it shows us how ministry should be. Always recognizing God for who he is, giving him honor and glory and not feeling jealous. Okay, people are going behind Jesus, not behind me. But he adores Jesus. And he also says that the church belongs to Jesus because he is the bridegroom. Okay, but John introduces himself as just a friend of the bridegroom. So he's quite clear about it. He does not want the glory or he does not want the, you know, like he is not trying to show his authority over the church because he understands that he's just a minister or he's just a servant or God. And he's happy to see Jesus taking the main position. And he says, therefore, this joy of mine is fulfilled. So he's rejoicing in the fact that he is associated with the messiah. That's it, right? That makes him so happy. And he says, he must increase, but I must increase. So the prominence that is given is given to Jesus. Now you compare this with what the people were doing in the temple. What is John doing? John is worshipping. In worship, what do we do? We surrender. We humble ourselves. Okay, so that's what John is doing. He's saying, okay, you know, it has been given from heaven. He is the bridegroom. I'm not the Christ. I was just sent before him, but he must increase. I must decrease. I must decrease. So he's surrendering, humbling himself, worshipping God, honouring God. And when the disciples look at Jesus as a competition, he's clarifying, you know what? He's the main person. We are the side people. Please try to understand. And there's no question of competition. If he's baptising, let him just do it. And then again, John clarifies, he says, he who comes from above is from above. He is above all. So again, giving Christ the position of deity. He who comes from above. And earlier he said, if heaven gives something, that's it. So he's recognising that Jesus is the Son of God who is left behind his glory. He has come from above, meaning what above? From the sky, no, from heaven. He has come from the heavens. He who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. So again, he's saying, origin, origin of, you know, this Jesus. Obviously there's no origin because he has no beginning. Right? He is the beginning. But how did he come to the earth? He's saying, in that sense, his origin is not from the earth. It is from heaven. So he's coming from eternity into, you know, this word that is limited by time. But he's saying, Jesus is the Messiah. He's come from heaven. He's come from eternity. Okay? And what he has seen and heard that he testifies and no one receives his testimony. He who has received his testimony has certified that God is true. So, you know, he just validates and he says that you believe in Jesus. Whatever things he's saying, whatever things he's doing, you put your faith in that because that's the only thing that can save you. You know, Jesus also said that, right? He said that he has come to say that one must be born again. Put your faith, believe, believe in this Christ. And that is how we are, we receive salvation. So John is also encouraging his disciples to follow after Jesus. Again, he continues about Jesus and his testimony for he whom God has said speaks the words of God. Remember how Jesus has made these statements and I speak nothing of myself but only what I hear the Father say. So, John understands these things. And he says that, you know, it's only God who has sent Jesus and Jesus is speaking the words of the Father and God gives spirit. God does not give the spirit by measure. So, he's talking about the words of God in the mouth of Jesus but also notice Jesus himself is the Word. He is the Word. He's speaking the words of the Father and he himself is the Word and about the Holy Spirit over the life of Jesus we are told that the anointing on his life it is without measure, meaning there's no limit to the anointing which Jesus carried. So, every anointing, every anointing was in his life. That is the understanding of this. So, the spirit, God did not give him little bit of the anointing or the work of the spirit or the empowering of the spirit in his life but it was without measure. So, who is that one person who walked with great anointing? It was the Lord Jesus Christ. He says, the Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. So, this talks about the love within the Godhead, the Trinity. Is there competition? No, the Father loves the Son. So, it's a bond of love, it's a bond of harmony, it's a bond of cooperation and because the Father loves the Son, what has he done? He has given all things into his hand. So, all things belong to Jesus. What is John doing? Apostle John now is writing similar to how he wrote in John chapter 1. Deep truth about the Trinity is coming out here. The Father loves the Son, he has given all things to him. So, all authority, all authority, given everything into his hand, all authority has been given to the Lord Jesus. Everything belongs, the book of Colossians we read, all things belong to him. Everything is in him, it's from him only. So, everything is in Christ Jesus. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life. So, again, salvation. What is the main thing that we need for salvation? To believe and believe in Jesus we have everlasting life and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abides on him. So, eternal destiny of man. We talk about heaven and hell. One of the main teachings in the life of Jesus, he preached the kingdom of God. He also spoke a lot about heaven and hell. So, what is the destiny of those who believe in the Son of God? We know that we will be saved from our sins and we will live with God in heaven forever. But those who do not receive salvation through faith, it is the wrath of God. So, hell is that eternal place where the wrath of God is going to affect the people. So, those who don't believe, they are condemned to hell. So, these truths are coming out. Even John the Baptist was aware of the Messiah and he's trying to tell his disciples, you know what, you don't look at Jesus as a competition but try to understand who he is. He is the Messiah. He has been sent from heaven. If you believe in him, you will have everlasting life. You will escape the wrath of hell. So, John the Baptist is exalting Jesus. Now, we will proceed further into chapter 4 here. Chapter 4 has a couple of incidents and let's see what we can learn from these incidents. So, at the beginning of chapter 4, Jesus, you know, from where he is right now, he moves out of Judea and he goes towards Galilee. But he goes through a place called Samaria. Why does he do this? He does this because the Pharisees had heard about Jesus and maybe just like John and his disciples, even the Pharisees had, they must have developed envy and jealousy and wondered how come this person is gaining such popularity in a short period of time. So, he does not want to create trouble for himself. So, Jesus is also very wise. When he understood that the atmosphere is not very good here, he decides to go to Galilee but he is going via Samaria. So, let's see what happens as he moves towards Galilee. So, he came to a city of Samaria which is called Sikr. The plot of the ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. So, basically it's a place of historical importance. So, Jacob had given it to his son Joseph and if you look up what are the other things that happened in that place. You will notice that Abraham had come there. Jacob had moved through that place and Jacob got a piece of land over there for some money. Jacob had built an altar. So, a couple of things that happened in that place. So, it has importance. Jacob gave that place to his son Joseph and also there was a well there, Jacob's well. It was what do you call? Again, of historical importance. Now, there being weird, weird from his journey. Wow! Just now in the earlier passage we saw how Jesus is from above. He who is from above. So, he is the son of God. So, he's fully God that we've understood and the spirit is given to him without measure. God does not give the spirit by measure. Okay, we've understood that Jesus is God and he is filled with the Holy Spirit. Just look at this statement. Being weird from his journey. How can the son of God who is so anointed become tired to travel? So, it explains to us. Jesus is fully God but he's also fully man. Obviously, a human being will feel tired. So, in that sense, Jesus was very limited on the earth. So, he's become tired and he sat by the well because he's also, he's not working. That heavenly glory with which he can do wonders. He never carried any of that. He came here only as a man. So, he needed the Holy Spirit to do the miracles through him and only as a man he's experiencing the limitations of being a man. So, he's sitting there and he's feeling very tired and obviously, we know we're talking about the Middle East. So, it must have been very hot. And at this point, Jesus is tired and he wants some water to drink. So, women of Samaria came to draw water. This is like a common well. You know, those days you had a common well where people would come and draw water from that same place. So, some women, she comes and Jesus asks her because he's so tired. He says, give me a drink. For his disciples have gone away into the city to buy food. So, think about this. Jesus is needing food and water to feel better. So, he was a human being just like us. Then the woman said to him, how is it that you being a Jew, you ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman for the Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. So, we have to understand that those days they had some biases between communities. Samaritans were known as a mixed breed. They were partly Jew, but they also had some other blood in them. And the pure Jews did not regard the Samaritans because of this mixture. So, in fact, the Samaritans were considered lower by the Jews and that's why this lady surprised. Maybe it was as if a Jew would go thirsty, no, die thirsty, but not take water from a Samaritan. But Jesus, very interesting, he asks for water and he is asking for water from a Samaritan and back to a Samaritan woman. So, apparently, in those times, even women were not considered like, they were not honored as much as men. So, it's amazing that Jesus spoke to a woman and asked her to give water. And Jesus said to her, you don't understand who I am. Save the way, he spoke to Nicodemus. The core issue for Nicodemus was to know the Messiah. Now, Jesus got another opportunity here. Here is a lady. What is her core issue? And it's the Savior. So, he goes straight to the point. If you know the gift of God and who it is who says to you, give me a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water. So, he is pointing in that direction and he is saying, woman, I know right now I am a mortal and I am asking you for physical water and actually, I am the one if you drink of me, you will never thirst because I am that living water. Actually, I am that living water that you need. So, he is telling you to tell her you don't understand who I am. I am the one who can give you eternal water which can satisfy your deepest thirst. So, the woman is confused. Just like Nicodemus. How can somebody go into the mother's womb and be born again? Same way, the woman responds here. Confused. Sir, you have nothing to draw water with. So, Jesus, what are you talking? Who gift of God? He will give you water, living water but you don't even have a pot to draw the water with and the well is so deep. Where then do you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob who gave us the well and drank from it himself as well as his sons and his livestock? So, she has a question. She is also thinking in the worldly way and she is saying, it's not practical. How can you give me living water from the well? So, Jesus addresses this spiritually. She is asking practical question. She is answering spiritually. Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into eternal life. The woman said to him, Sir, give me this water that I may not thirst now come here to draw. So, Jesus is pointing her to eternal water or living water that can give eternal life. So, from the natural subject of water Jesus is going to a spiritual subject. So, you know, many a time this passage about Jesus talking to the Samaritan woman is used to describe evangelism. How do you do evangelism? We meet people everywhere we go and we can meet them in certain circumstances. So, we use that natural circumstance. Obviously, led by the Spirit of God we can use that same topic to introduce them to spiritual things. So, here the topic is water and Jesus he asked for water and then through that subject he is saying look, actually you are the one who needs you know, living water. If you take that living water you will never thirst again and then that will become a spring of water it springs into eternal life within you. So, she became hungry for the spiritual truth. So, from something natural he guided her to himself and this is the way in which evangelism should be done where maybe somebody is talking to us about you know, I don't know the suffering in the world or people people need a better life or I mean so many subjects right when we speak to people. So, whatever it is we through that as we are talking engaging with them we introduce them and say yes, there is suffering in the world but you know, there is a Savior you know, yes people need a better life and Jesus has come to to give that better life not just in this world but even into eternity. So, in that way we can present the gospel or we can present the truth about Jesus as the messiah and the way Jesus minister to this lady God is able to minister to the hearts of the people we just have to do our part and then of course it is the work of the Holy Spirit to convict them and for them to respond with belief. Okay, so now Jesus is continuing ministering to her she has become thirsty for the living water and then Jesus ministers by the Holy Spirit again and he says it is like a trick statement he says go call your husband and come here okay, but when Jesus made this statement it opened up the reality about her life so the woman was amazed and she gave the right answer, she said yeah, I don't have I don't have a husband then Jesus said correct, you said the truth because you have had five husbands and the one with whom you are now is not your husband so you are saying the truth so the woman understands not talking to an ordinary person but here is somebody who is speaking by the revelation of the Holy Spirit so she says I think understand that you are a prophet, so how is evangelism happening in this case, one is from the subject that the person understands we are introducing Christ, second is we can also move by the work of the Holy Spirit so what exactly is the gift okay, what gift is this which gift of the Holy Spirit is this that Jesus is functioning when he asks the question where is your husband so what gift is this which gift of the Holy Spirit okay, great okay, so Kiran is saying knowledge that's right, yes so this is the gift of knowledge okay, where there is no way somebody coming from Judea can know about the life of a lady in some area and suddenly she comes to the well, it's not like you know Jesus is pre-planned and he knows about her, he doesn't know anything but Holy Spirit reveals and he asks the right question no call your husband and reveals to her that God knows about her life okay, and the moment that happens the moment the supernatural power of God is demonstrated, the woman comes around and she says, oh wow I'm talking to a prophet and so she starts speaking in a spiritual way she says, you know our father has worshipped on this mountain and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship so she asks him a spiritual question, ah I found a prophet now prophet answer my question which is the best place to worship is it Jerusalem where all the Jews say that you have to go there but our forefathers they worshipped on this mountain you tell me which is the best place so Jesus responds to her and says see it's not about the place there's something more important than the place where you worship it is the way in which you worship so you know this very famous statement of Jesus where he says, you know the time has come that the father is seeking for true worshippers who will worship him in spirit and in truth so Jesus says it's not about where we worship but it is about the way we worship so what is the spirit worship and spirit means led by the spirit you know we worship God and spirit and in truth means truth is the revelation of God's word so we go by the truth and with that we are able to worship God so God is looking for how we worship more than where we worship so the father is seeking such to worship him and then he adds to the information that he is giving and he is saying God is spirit and those who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth so the father is seeking people who worship in spirit and truth and God himself is spirit so again he says look God is spirit it's not about the place he is not stuck to one place but you look at what true worship is and the attitude with which one should worship God so now the discussion has moved from something simple and natural give me what to where should we worship a more deeper truth about God so the woman tells Jesus for this reply she says how she is curious I found this prophet he told me about my life now he told me about the right way to worship I better ask him that the key question because you see everyone all the Jews they are waiting for the Messiah so even this lady she is not a scholar or anything but that is the hunger of her heart she says I know that the Messiah is coming when he comes he will tell us all things so she is waiting to meet this Messiah and to learn many truths from the life of this Messiah so Jesus kind of brought her to that point to point her to him same thing that he did to Nicodemus ultimately there was a question to Nicodemus do you believe but Nicodemus had some resistance here Jesus tells this lady I who speak to you and he so he introduces himself and he says you do not have to wait lady I am the Messiah and I am the one I have come from above and I can tell you all things now did this lady this woman of Samaria believe at this point the disciples come back and they are amazed that what Jesus you are talking to a woman who talks to a woman yet no one said ok what do you see why are you talking to her nobody actually said it and when Jesus said that I am the Messiah to the woman this lady she was so amazed that she let her water pot it says meaning when you are so thrilled that if something is happening maybe you are carrying something in your hand you just leave it there because you are so excited you want to go and tell everybody what you have experienced so she is excited she leaves her water pot she went her way to the city and told everyone come see a man who told me all things that I ever did could this be the Christ then they went out of the city and came to him so in a way now she is becoming the person who is spreading the good news she met the Messiah and that is what happens to us when we meet the Messiah we are so excited I found the living water he told me about true worship he told me about my life so she is excited about all these things and he told me that he is the Messiah could he be the true Messiah and telling people how she has met this person you also come you also experience Christ so when we are touched by Christ in our lives we become those who proclaim Christ to others so I think at this point I will just pause because we are almost running out of time but yeah the incidents that we see and some of the realities that some of the truth that comes out of it so at this point I just want to ask us now we have seen how Jesus ministered to this lady okay we look at it as evangelism so any other thoughts about evangelism bringing people to Christ in addition to what we said we talk to them based on their situation but we introduce Christ to them and then we ask for a response do you believe so anything you want to add to that about evangelism okay great so Kiran says depends on the Holy Spirit and the knowledge of God yeah true Kiran so to be led by the Holy Spirit we can also move in the gifts of the Spirit isn't it we do that people are amazed they are willing to give their life to God because they understand this is a supernatural worker God so these are all things that we observe so at this point let's just say a word of prayer and close today's class just want to request anyone to close with the word of prayer please Kiran do you want to play okay yeah sure thank you Father God once again we just come before Newton-Father God thank you for revelation once again through John Exinterpret thank you for all so many things we learned today Father God thank you for those all things Father God thank you for Ma'am and all the study also Father God Father God we want more your presence in our life Father God to the journey Father God we want more revulsion Father God may want more Father God wisdom and knowledge Father God coming the journey. Father God bless to every side. Father God take care of every side and take care of everything. Father God. Thank you for listening our prayer. Father God almighty Jesus name we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen. Thank you. Thank you, Kiran. Thank you, everyone. God bless you and we'll see you in the next class. So bye for now. Yeah. Bye. God bless. Thank you. Bye.