Nicodemus Comes to Jesus by Night

John 3:1-36 - There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that you do, except God be with him.’

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, ‘Truly, truly, I say unto you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.’

4 Nicodemus said unto him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

5 Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto you, ‘You must be born again (from above).’ 8 The wind blows wherever it wants to go, and you hear the sound thereof, but cannot tell what it comes, and where it goes: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.’

9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, ‘How can these things be?’

10 Jesus answered and said unto him, ‘Are you a master of Israel, and you don’t know these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say unto you, we speak that we do know, and testify about things we have seen; and you receive not our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things, and you believe not, how shall you believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

13 And no man has ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 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. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one that does evil hates the light, neither comes to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that does truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.’



The Work of John the Baptist

John 3:22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he stayed with them, and baptized. 23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. 24 For John was not yet cast into prison.

25 Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. 26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, ‘Rabbi, he that was with you beyond Jordan, to whom you bore witness, behold, the same baptizes, and all men come to him.’

27 John answered and said, ‘A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 29 He that has the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: in this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

30 He must increase, but I must decrease. 31 He that comes from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaks of the earth: he that comes from heaven is above all. 32 And what he has seen and heard, that he testifies; and no man receives his testimony.

33 He that has received his testimony has set to his seal that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God: for God gives not the Spirit by measure unto him. 35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand. 36 He that believes on the Son has everlasting life: and he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him.’

John 4:1-4 - When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, 2 (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) 3 He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. 4 And he needed to go through Samaria.

Luke 3:19-20 - But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, 20 added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.


Jesus and the Woman at the Well

Matthew 4:12 - Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; John 4:5-45 - Then he came to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. 7 A woman of Samaria came there to draw water: Jesus said unto her, ‘Will you give me a drink?’ 8 (For his disciples had gone away unto the city to buy food.)

9 Then said the woman of Samaria unto him, ‘How is it that you, being a Jew, asks drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.’

10 Jesus answered and said unto her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that said to you, Give me to drink; you would have asked of him, and he would have given you living water.’

11 The woman said unto him, ‘Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from what then have you that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?’

13 Jesus answered and said unto her, ‘Whoever drinks of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.’

15 The woman said unto him, ‘Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come here to draw.’ 16 Jesus said unto her, ‘Go, call your husband, and come here.’ 17 The woman answered and said, ‘I have no husband.’

Jesus said unto her, ‘You have well said, ‘I have no husband’, 18 for you have had five husbands; and he whom you now have is not your husband: in that you spoke truthfully.’

19 The woman said unto him, ‘Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and you say Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.’

21 Jesus said unto her, ‘Woman, believe me, the hour comes, when you shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship you know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

23 But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seek such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.’

25 The woman said unto him, ‘I know that Messiah comes, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.’

26 Jesus said unto her, ‘I that speak unto you am he.’

27 And upon this came his disciples, and marveled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, ‘What do you seek?’ or, ‘Why do you talk with her?’

28 The woman then left her water pot, and went her way into the city, and said to the men,
29 ‘Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?’

30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. 31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, ‘Master, eat.’

32 But he said unto them, ‘I have meat to eat that you know not of.’

33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, ‘Has any man brought him anything to eat?’ 34 Jesus said unto them, ‘My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.’

35 ‘Don’t you say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes harvest?’ Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. 36 And he that reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit unto life eternal: that both he that sows and he that reaps may rejoice together. 37 And herein is that saying true, ‘One sows, and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that whereon you bestowed no labor: other men labored, and you are entered into their labors.’

39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. 40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would stay with them: and he abode there two days.

41 And many more believed because of his own word; 42 and said unto the woman, ‘Now we believe, not because of your saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.’

43 Now after two days he departed there, and went into Galilee. 44 For Jesus testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.

Jesus Returns to Cana

45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.
Luke 4:14-15 - And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through the entire region round about. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.

John 4:46-54 - So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and asked him to come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.

Jesus Heals the Nobleman’s Son

48 Then said Jesus unto him, ‘Except you see signs and wonders, you will not believe.’

49 The nobleman said unto him, ‘Sir, come down or my child will die.’

50 Jesus said unto him, ‘Go your way; your son lives.’ And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.
51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, ‘Your son lives.’ 52 Then he enquired of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, ‘Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.’

53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in which Jesus said unto him, ‘Your son lives.’ and he believed, and his whole house.

54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.

Jesus Gets Thrown Out of His Own Home Town

Luke 4:16-30 - And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah.

And when he had opened the book, he read from the place where it was written, 18 ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised; 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.’

20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And he began by saying unto them, ‘This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.’

22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, ‘Is not this Joseph's son?’

23 And he said unto them, ‘You will surely say unto me this proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself.’ Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in your country.’

24 And he said, ‘Truly I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.
25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; 26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. 27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.’

28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. 30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way.


Jesus Leaves Nazareth

Matthew 4:13-16 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zebulon and Nephthali: 14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, 15 ‘The land of Zebulon, and the land of Nephthali, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; 16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.’

Jesus’ First Miracle Catch of Fish

Luke 5:1-11 - And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, 2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, ‘Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.’

5 And Simon answering said unto him, ‘Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at your word I will let down the net.’

6 And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. 7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, ‘Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.’

9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: 10 and so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon.
And Jesus said unto Simon, ‘Fear not; from now on you shall catch men.’

11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

Jesus Teaches in the Synagogue in Capernaum

Mark 1:21-2:12 - And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. 22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24 Saying, ‘Let us alone; what have we to do with you, you Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know you who you are, the Holy One of God.’

25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Hold your peace, and come out of him.’

26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, ‘What thing is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority commanded even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.’

28 And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout the entire region round about Galilee. 29 And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her.

31 And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. 32 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils. 33 And the entire city was gathered together at the door.

34 And he healed many that were sick of diverse diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him. 35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

36 And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. 37 And when they had found him, they said unto him, ‘All men seek for you.’

38 And he said unto them, ‘Let us go into the next towns so I may preach there also: for that is why I have come.’ 39 And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.

40 And there came a leper to him, asking him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, ‘If you will, you can make me clean.’

41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and said unto him, ‘I will; be clean.’

42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. 43 And he straightly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; 44 And said unto him, ‘See that you say nothing to any man: but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.’

45 But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.

Today's Agenda:
Nicodemus Comes to Jesus by Night
The Work of John the Baptist
Jesus and the Woman at the Well
Jesus Returns to Cana
Jesus Heals the Nobleman’s Son
Jesus Gets Thrown Out of his Home Town
Jesus Leaves Nazareth
Jesus’ First Miracle Catch of Fish
Jesus Teaches in the Synagogue in Capernaum
WHY JESUS MATTERS NOW
Episode 3 of 30        Play Audio